# Someone in our house is going to die **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029 "2011-06-19T14:31:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/1 "2011-06-19T14:31:13Z")
This morning I was getting dressed upstairs and I heard a staccato tapping/rapping sound\* coming from downstairs. I called out to Mrs. J., figuring either she was doing something or the dog was loose committing mischief, but got no answer. I go downstairs after several minutes of this and see a medium-sized nondescript bird clinging to and pecking on the glass panel next to the front door. It sees me and after a bit, flies away. I tell Mrs. J. about this, and it turns out that the same bird appeared earlier at the back of the house, pecking at the living room window glass and also a glass pane in another door. Mrs. J. also informed me that according to legend in her family, having a bird do this meant someone in the house was going to die. Now I know you bird-lovers will claim that the bird merely saw its reflection in the glass and was trying to drive off a competitor. But now I’m spooked. It may be that the assault on three separate glass panes means that me, Mrs. J. and the dog are all doomed. What’s the time period we should be worrying about for bird-forecasted demise? A couple days? A week? If I’ve got to go, it should be before next weekend when I have to be on call. Is the bird any more reliable than Harold Camping? \*Incidentally, the Moon-Rays do a nice beat version of Poe’s “The Raven” which, if it comes up “accidentally” on my next Ipod shuffle session will convince me the end is at hand. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/2 "2011-06-19T14:35:06Z")
Not to alarm you or anything, but \*everyone \* in your house is going to die. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/3 "2011-06-19T14:41:31Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Not to alarm you or anything, but \*everyone \* in your house is going to die. 🙂 And at some point within the next 70 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/4 "2011-06-19T14:42:43Z")
I thought this was going to be about drinking straight from the carton. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/5 "2011-06-19T15:03:53Z")
What a pane in the glass. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/6 "2011-06-19T15:25:24Z")
I just went outside, and there was a large greyish bird perched in a nearby tree going “eee-yahh, eee-yahh!!” When it saw me it took off, flew rapidly across the yard and disappeared. Maybe the evil will be more widespread. I will be on the lookout for other portents, like mass movements of salamanders, the birth of two-headed babies etc. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/7 "2011-06-19T15:26:47Z")
So, how close to Chernobyl are you? ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/8 "2011-06-19T15:50:09Z")
Death will occur in seven days. You should have received a phone call telling you. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/9 "2011-06-19T16:25:53Z")
Do _ **not** _ go down to the basement! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/10 "2011-06-19T16:30:17Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Do _ **not** _ go down to the basement! [Lets all go to the lobby](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXK2yyjerro) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/11 "2011-06-19T17:05:05Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I just went outside, and there was a large greyish bird perched in a nearby tree going “eee-yahh, eee-yahh!!” Upon doing further research, it appears likely that this bird is the reincarnation of old-time baseball player [Hughie Jennings](http://bleacherreport.com/articles/76729-ee-yah-the-exciting-story-of-hughie-jennings) (a former star for the Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas, who later managed the Ty Cobb-era Detroit Tigers). He was known for yelling “Ee-yah!” from the dugout in moments of excitment and for other antics like eating grass on the ballfield. So, this means either that the Detroit Tigers will win the World Series this year, or that my lawn will die along with everyone in the house. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/12 "2011-06-19T17:09:06Z")
Maybe Hughie Jennings is just telling you to build him a ballpark. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/13 "2011-06-19T17:53:36Z")
You can relax; your wife has the superstition all wrong. According to my mother, if a wild bird gets _in_ your house, that means someone in that house is going to die. No, no one will die. You’ll just be tormented forevermore. . . . Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. `Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice; Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore - Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; - ‘Tis the wind and nothing more!’ Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore. Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door - Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door - Perched, and sat, and nothing more. . . . And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted - nevermore! Mwuuuuaaahahahahaha ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/14 "2011-06-20T03:13:35Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I just went outside, and there was a large greyish bird perched in a nearby tree going “eee-yahh, eee-yahh!!” When it saw me it took off, flew rapidly across the yard and disappeared. Sounds like what you had there was a rather rare encounter with a Mocking Donkey. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/15 "2011-06-20T04:59:12Z")
That’s what you get for not forwarding those emails about walking in the sand with Jesus to ten people within 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Kataskopo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aca169/32.png) [@Kataskopo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kataskopo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/16 "2011-06-20T11:10:46Z")
Huh, this sounds similar to a legend a friend has in his family. If you hear 3 knocks in a window, that means that somebody is going to die. And that has happened before, or so they say. He used to live in the country, so they were superstitious, bit he said that this has happened before. And he said all this just after we heard a knock in the window. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/17 "2011-06-20T12:09:23Z")
More tapping this morning. It’s ba-aack. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/18 "2011-06-20T12:32:53Z")
Tell Lenore to move out. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/19 "2011-06-20T13:15:37Z")
it probably is just practicing techniques so it can look for movie work. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029/20 "2011-06-20T14:44:49Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I just went outside, and there was a large greyish bird perched in a nearby tree going “eee-yahh, eee-yahh!!” Are you sure you didn’t mishear? Might it have been saying["Iä! Iä!"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu):dubious: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-in-our-house-is-going-to-die/586029.md?page=2)