HIGH LIFE : Choice Subjects for an Otherworldly Chat

Halloween, coming up this Tuesday, is derived from the rites of the Druids celebrating the day of Saman, when the Celtic Lord of Death called together the souls of the wicked who had died during the past year.

Mediums profess ability to communicate with the souls of the dead--both wicked and good--at seances. Hot Topics wonders: “If you could talk to anybody through a seance, who would you talk to and what would you ask them?”

“Amelia Earhart--how and why did you disappear?”

Erin Martino, 14, freshman, Century

“Honus Wagner--what was your secret to hitting so well?”

Tommy Reimers, 14, freshman, Century

“My great-grandfather--how did you die during the Korean War?”

Chong Yi, 14, freshman, Century

“My great grandmother--why did you smoke and drink?”

Melissa DeLorne, 14, freshman, Connelly

“Elvis Presley--did you really take drugs? If so, why?”

Michelle Gross, 15, sophomore, Connelly

“My grandma I never knew--what were you like?”

Frances Kyriakos, 16, junior, Connelly

“Marilyn Monroe--how did you die?”

Louise Nunez, 16, junior, Cypress

“Napoleon--how could you be so stupid to attack Russia in the winter?”

Shane Griffin, 15, sophomore, Cypress

“Edgar Allan Poe--were things really that bad?”

Chris Peterson, 17, senior, Loara

“Martin Luther King Jr.--did you ever think that your hard work and nonviolent actions in the ‘60s would lead to the way blacks live and are treated today?”

Tabashi Price, 17, senior, Loara

“Harry Houdini--help me figure out how to get out of school.”

Tom Hsieh, 17, senior, Loara

“Bruce Lee--do you think Chuck Norris is overrated?”

David Kang, 17, junior, Loara

“Elvis Presley--is he really dead or has he been frequenting 7-Elevens in Midwestern towns?”

Sandy Phan, 15, senior, Los Alamitos

“Martin Luther King Jr.--where did you get your inspiration and why didn’t you take the easy way out?”

Michelle Cantrell, 16, junior, Los Alamitos

“Ferdinand Marcos--why did you do what you did?”

Rujuta Parika, 16, senior, Los Alamitos

“Adolf Hitler--what were your motives, and do you have any compassion for human beings?”

Elisa Pak, 17, senior, Los Alamitos

“John F. Kennedy--what really went on, and do you want your son, John, to follow in your footsteps?”

Shelly Knego, 18, senior, Los Alamitos

“Henry Ford--have you ever thought about the consequences of producing the automobile?”

Ruth Peng, 16, senior, Marina

“Hitler--did you hate anyone else besides Jews?”

Teddy Haduong, 15, junior, Marina

“Jack Kerouac--I would discuss the relevance of the stream of consciousness.”

Kristen Ekegal, 17, senior, Marina

“Jim Morrison--what was your biggest influence in music and poetry? What did you hope to accomplish?”

Jim McCarthy, 17, senior, Mater Dei

“Jimi Hendrix--would you play ‘Hey Joe’ for me and my friends, please?”

Matt Retoske, 17, senior, Mater Dei

“Bob Marley--what would be the focus of your music today?”

John Merino, 16, junior, Mater Dei

“Martin Luther King Jr.--what was it like to be an activist and to have so many people against you?”

Christine Quimbo, 15, sophomore, Mater Dei

“My dog--why did you run out in front of the car?”

Arin Whelan, 16, sophomore, Mission Viejo

“My uncle Ronnie--to tell him I’m sorry for letting my aunt come between our relationship and tell him how much I love him and miss him.”

Don Vaugh, 17, senior, Mission Viejo

“Babe Ruth, because he was the king.”

Mark Conoly, 16, junior, Mission Viejo

“Actress Vivien Leigh--what was it really like to work in ‘Gone With the Wind’?”

Stephanie Vash, 17, senior, Saddleback

“Richie Valens, because of his early death, not enough was said by him and his music.”

Erin Hennessey, 15, sophomore, Saddleback

“My grandfather, because I was only 8 when he died, and I would like to know more about him. All I can remember is that every time I saw him, he would slip a $5 bill into my pocket. I would ask him how he met my grandmother and if it was love at first sight. I would also ask if his being 15 years older than my grandmother ever discouraged him. My main question would be if he was satisfied with his life and if there was anything he wishes he would have done (while) on Earth. If there is, then maybe I could do it for him.”

Joey Newell, 13, freshman, St. Margaret’s

“Lucille Ball--I would ask what kind of family life she had during the time she made the ‘I Love Lucy’ series. I would also ask her if she experienced discrimination in the industry because she was female.”

Justin Yeh, 15, freshman, St. Margaret’s

“As a Christian, I do not give regards to seances, and if I am going to seek something from another world, I will pray to Jesus Christ and ask for his answers.”

Amy Chamberlain, 17, senior,

Southern California Christian

“Marilyn Monroe--I’d ask her how she really died and tell her to come back to life because she was so awesome.”

Cora Holmes, 17, senior, Woodbridge

“Al Capone--what gave you the idea to build all those secret tunnels?”

Todd Franco, 15, sophomore, Woodbridge

“President Kennedy--were you really having an affair with Marilyn Monroe?”

Brent Lindsey, 16, junior, Woodbridge

“Elvis Presley--why did you take so many drugs and ruin your career?”

Keith Hoffman, 14, freshman, Woodbridge

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?

Hot Topic responses gathered by Jason Welty (Century), Jennifer Chen (Connelly), Blythe Latimer (Cypress), Monique Verdonck (Loara), Jennifer Vineyard (Los Alamitos), Jenny Henderson (Marina), Debbie Maddox (Mater Dei), Janet Stouder (Mission Viejo), Nguyen-Hong Hoang (Saddleback), Stacey Kimsey (Southern California Christian) and Tomarra Wilds (Woodbridge).