Seeing a skeleton in October isn't anything out of the ordinary. Seeing a skeleton in a biology lab is also considered normal.
(prHWY.com) May 3, 2012 - Seattle, WA -- Seeing a skeleton in October isn't anything out of the ordinary. Seeing a skeleton in a biology lab is also considered normal. However, residents of Federal Way, Washington are noticing a strange and unusual skeleton appearing all throughout the city.
"Reports started coming in from residents in March", explained police chief Carl Edwards. "There was a reported sighting of a skeleton sitting on a park bench. People were calling police because they thought it was some sick joke a murder was pulling."
Police reported to the scene of the skeleton's appearance, and after careful consideration deemed it was a prop skeleton available at any costume or Halloween shop. The skeleton was taken into the police station and booked into the station's lost and found department.
"We thought that was the end of the mysterious skeleton", explained Edwards. "Then we got reports of another skeleton in the parking lot of the local Safeway store. This time we knew it wasn't real, but people still called reports in."
Again, police were sent to check out the mysterious skeleton only to discover that this time the skeleton had a message. Attached to the skeleton's hands was a local advertisement for a chiropractor. People could pull off tiny little tabs for discounts on local chiropractic services.
"There is no law against creative marketing", said Edwards. "The chiropractor did nothing wrong. We just live in a city of paranoid and scared people who spend their days watching too much CSI or Criminal Minds."
John Bellows runs the local
chiropractic office that came up with this unique and spooky marketing campaign.
"I was sitting around thinking of ways that I could draw in new customers", said Bellows. "I thought wouldn't it be cool if someone stood on the corner dressed as a skeleton and waved people in. It was then that my son suggested I use those fake prop ones and place them all over the city."
Bellows checked with the local police department to determine that he was doing nothing wrong and proceeded to chart out various and unique locations to place the skeleton. The skeleton has traveled to at least six existing locations in Federal Way, with plans to visit another 20 this year.
"You never know when Shelly the Skeleton will appear", said Bellows. "She certainly attracts attention and brings in the customers. So as long as that happens she'll be out spooking the public."
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