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not had any experiences I would classify as
“evil,” or dangerous until one day in the 1990’s.
If you mention Los Angeles to anyone today,
they immediately think of the “new” city that the fairly recent influx of the Vodun religion.
grew up in the 1950’s and later, the glittering Of course, there were celebrations for the dia de
glassy and steel buildings downtown, the tall los Muertos with the sugar candy skulls, breads,
buildings and Hollywood. However, the truth and the ever-present marigolds so beloved by
be told, there exists in LA land areas of the the spirits of those who have passed on before.
original Spanish and Mexican land grants, with Then throw in this Anglo-Irish individual in the
remnants of the older, Latino culture with all midst of it all with his cultural identification,
their beliefs and cultural superstitions. It is in and you have a recipe or lightening rod for the
these parts of El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la unexplained to occur.
Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula that my I was alone in our building one night—an
knowledge of the legend of the Evil-Lo begins. old, re-purposed church during the Halloween
I was living and working in one of those holiday working on reports and the accounts
areas outside of the city limits in a Hispanic due the next day. It was quiet, with no trick or
(99.99%) old Spanish land grant. This town treaters coming to the office doors. Closer to
was not “modern” at all, but had many older midnight there was a silence in the surrounding
buildings, sections where the families of current streets, and you could hear the building itself
residents had lived for over 150 years. It was settling. Then, out of the blue, I heard the
an eclectic community, a mission-era Catholic pitter-patter of small, tiny feet echoing down
community, but beneath it all there were the the tile of the hallway. Okay, I said to myself,
botanicas and curanderos thriving along with so someone has brought their child with them
VOICES! | OCTOBER 2022 31
