--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s still…" description: "\"“Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s still there, but when we lived in Minnesota, we would drive through Janesville to get to our place. If you took th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/steven-james-20892_haunted_well-i-don-t-know-for-sure-if-it-s-still_2043252.jpg" --- # Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s still there, but when… ![“Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s still there, but when we lived in Minnesota, we would drive through Janesville to get to our place. If you took the old Highway 14 through town, as you’re heading west, just as you cross Main Street, there’s this old two-story house on the right-hand side of the…” quote by Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/steven-james-20892_haunted_well-i-don-t-know-for-sure-if-it-s-still_2043252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/steven-james-20892_haunted_well-i-don-t-know-for-sure-if-it-s-still_2043252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/steven-james-20892_haunted_well-i-don-t-know-for-sure-if-it-s-still_2043252.jpg) > ““Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s still there, but when we lived in Minnesota, we would drive through Janesville to get to our place. If you took the old Highway 14 through town, as you’re heading west, just as you cross Main Street, there’s this old two-story house on the right-hand side of the road.” “What happened?” Daniel anticipated where this was going: “Was someone killed there?” “No. But if you looked up at the attic window you’d see a doll hanging there. It was one of those old-fashioned dolls made of wood and it was hanging from a rafter with a noose around its neck.” “Okay, that’s disturbing.” “No kidding. Well, there are all these stories about the doll and why it’s there. Some people say it moves; others say someone died in the house and the place is haunted. The way I heard it, there was a girl who lived there and the other kids made fun of her because she was the sort of kid that adults call ‘special,’ and kids call all kinds of other things. You know what I mean.” “Sure,” Daniel said quietly. “Anyway, the other kids in the town were relentless, making fun of her, calling her names, all that. The story goes that even when she was a teenager she carried that doll with her everywhere—which only made them make fun of her more. One day her mom was looking for her and couldn’t find her anywhere.” He paused, as if to accentuate how long the girl’s mom searched. “Eventually she went outside to look for her and when she turned around toward the house, she saw her daughter hanging in the attic window where she’d killed herself—hung herself off one of the rafters. And they say that after the funeral, her parents took the same rope that their daughter had used and they hung that doll up there in the window as a constant reminder to the townspeople of what they’d driven their daughter to do.” Daniel was silent. “So, last month I was doing this contemporary-issues assignment and I thought I’d try to find out what really happened. I came across this newspaper article from 1975 that said that one time, years ago, the guy who lived in the house was looking through a National Geographic magazine and saw a picture of a house in Pennsylvania that had a doll hanging in the window and he basically said, ‘Huh. Wouldn’t it be cool if we had a doll hanging in our window too?’ So he hung it up there.”” [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tragic tale of bullying leading to a girl’s suicide, with a haunting doll symbolizing community neglect and cruelty. **In simple terms:** Bullying can drive victims to extreme despair; community memory may preserve painful symbols. Key Takeaway Address bullying and support vulnerable youth. Themes bullying mental health community memory trauma Mood somber cautionary Type narrative social commentary When to use this quote - school counseling - anti‑bullying campaigns - community healing - mental‑health awareness Key Concepts psychology social work education folklore Questions to Reflect On - What steps can communities take to prevent bullying? - How do local legends reflect collective trauma? A Different Perspective The story’s authenticity is unverified, risking sensationalism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Main street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/main-street/) [Making fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-fun/) [Newspaper Article](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspaper-article/) ## Related quotes > [“I already feel like the Girl Who Lived around here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/i-already-feel-like-the-girl-who-lived-around-here/) [Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/) > [“Where could you go in Harrisonville?-this smalltime place haunted by by homilies, platitudes, and booshwah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-eszterhas/where-could-you-go-in-harrisonville-this-smalltime-place-haunted-by/) [Joe Eszterhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-eszterhas/) > [“There she is, that girl, on a planet of grass. Her wants are simple: to tilt her face to the sun and feel its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/there-she-is-that-girl-on-a-planet-of-grass-her-wants-are-simple-to/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“I think about all the ways I’ve been perceived by others over the years: as a burden, a dutiful daughter, a girlfriend, a spiteful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/i-think-about-all-the-ways-i-ve-been-perceived-by-others-over-the/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“Folks called this place haunted, felt the emanations of an unspeakable act moving outward like ripples on water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gay/folks-called-this-place-haunted-felt-the-emanations-of-an-unspeakable/) [William Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gay/) > [When I was a little girl, I lived for modeling and fashion - I used to love, love, love modeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanel-iman/when-i-was-a-little-girl-i-lived-for-modeling-and-fashion-i-used-to/) [Chanel Iman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanel-iman/) > [“Free love,Ayaan knew, is an enchanting place haunted by demented women”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/free-love-ayaan-knew-is-an-enchanting-place-haunted-by-demented-women/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [I’ve never thought much about whether I was happy or if I had fun as a child. I was a so-so girl who lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/i-ve-never-thought-much-about-whether-i-was-happy-or-if-i-had-fun-as-2/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [When you're doing a show on stage, and they show you a red light, that means you have 5 minutes left. At some clubs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/when-you-re-doing-a-show-on-stage-and-they-show-you-a-red-light-that/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [“Where silver webs of spiders weave and blighted lovers take their leave; where curses lay the spirits low and mortal footsteps fear to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jones/where-silver-webs-of-spiders-weave-and-blighted-lovers-take-their/) Richard Jones > [“That's why I call this place the Haunted Bookshop. Haunted by the ghosts of the books I haven't read. Poor uneasy spirits, they walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/that-s-why-i-call-this-place-the-haunted-bookshop-haunted-by-the/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [“I've never thought much about whether I was happy or if I had fun as a child. I was a so-so girl who lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lee/i-ve-never-thought-much-about-whether-i-was-happy-or-if-i-had-fun-as/) Lisa Lee > [“i could go if i wanted share the floorboards with someone in a place less haunted but i like it here and i’m happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-brown/i-could-go-if-i-wanted-share-the-floorboards-with-someone-in-a-place/) Savannah Brown > [Once upon a time, a girl lived in a sandcastle, making monsters to send through a hole in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/once-upon-a-time-a-girl-lived-in-a-sandcastle-making-monsters-to-send/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [It is, alas, chiefly the evil emotions that are able to leave their photographs on surrounding scenes and objects and whoever heard of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-alas-chiefly-the-evil-emotions-that-are-able-to-leave-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Steven James > [“Think of a caterpillar entering a cocoon. Once he does so, one of two things will happen: He will either transform into a butterfly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/think-of-a-caterpillar-entering-a-cocoon-once-he-does-so-one-of-two/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [Change is not always a good thing. What I need is not change from one thing to another but transformation from who I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/change-is-not-always-a-good-thing-what-i-need-is-not-change-from-one/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [“Patrick: How do you know so much about dating? You're a teenage girl. Tess: Because I'm a teenage girl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/patrick-how-do-you-know-so-much-about-dating-you-re-a-teenage-girl/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [Violence can behave like a disease. That insight gives a different frame of reference that is designed to take the judgment out of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/violence-can-behave-like-a-disease-that-insight-gives-a-different/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [“Do you know how to turn someone into a monster?” “I’m not sure. No.” “Let him be himself without restraint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/do-you-know-how-to-turn-someone-into-a-monster-i-m-not-sure-no-let/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [Here is the paradox of the thing we call freedom: the farther we wander from God and the more we try to break free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/here-is-the-paradox-of-the-thing-we-call-freedom-the-farther-we/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [“Jesus being born as a baby was God's way of laughing at a world trying to grow up too quickly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/jesus-being-born-as-a-baby-was-god-s-way-of-laughing-at-a-world/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [“Part of living is acknowledging people’s pain and grief, but not letting it take over your heart. Though it’s always nighttime in the depths,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/part-of-living-is-acknowledging-people-s-pain-and-grief-but-not/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [“Live each moment, each precious moment that you have. Live each one as if it were your last. And your first. Miss”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/live-each-moment-each-precious-moment-that-you-have-live-each-one-as/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [Christianity is wild. It’s intimate. It’s heartbreaking and soul-mending. It’s the wings to rise above the everyday and hope of a honeymoon with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/christianity-is-wild-it-s-intimate-it-s-heartbreaking-and-soul/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [Plastic people flashing fake smiles at a pretend world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/plastic-people-flashing-fake-smiles-at-a-pretend-world/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [“I am a caged bird, rattling the bars of my cage, with furious flutterings, break my chains! Free my spirit! Let me fly with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/i-am-a-caged-bird-rattling-the-bars-of-my-cage-with-furious/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [God dances with the outcast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/god-dances-with-the-outcast/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [The gifts of the Master are these: freedom, life, hope, new direction, transformation, and intimacy with God. If the cross was the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/the-gifts-of-the-master-are-these-freedom-life-hope-new-direction/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [For people in neighborhoods where violence is prevalent, violence becomes a way of dealing and coping with their lives. No matter how wrong it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/for-people-in-neighborhoods-where-violence-is-prevalent-violence/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) [Explore all 30 Steven James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) ## More Haunted quotes > [I love ghost stories, I love to read them, and I love the idea of being haunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-love-ghost-stories-i-love-to-read-them-and-i-love-the-idea-of-being/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [“...the haunted always take refuge in stillness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-dodd/the-haunted-always-take-refuge-in-stillness/) [Christina Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-dodd/) > [I don't like haunted houses or anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-burrow/i-don-t-like-haunted-houses-or-anything-like-that/) [Joe Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-burrow/) > [I keep all my clothes on in House on Haunted Hill, Mary Jane's Last Dance, and The Way of the Gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taye-diggs/i-keep-all-my-clothes-on-in-house-on-haunted-hill-mary-jane-s-last/) [Taye Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taye-diggs/) > [They call them the haunted shores, these stretches of Devonshire and Cornwall and Ireland which rear up against the westward ocean. Mists gather here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/they-call-them-the-haunted-shores-these-stretches-of-devonshire-and/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“She herself is a haunted house. She does not possess herself; her ancestors sometimes come and peer out of the window of her eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/she-herself-is-a-haunted-house-she-does-not-possess-herself-her/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [...you don't need ghosts to be haunted. Memory does that just fine without any supernatural help at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/you-don-t-need-ghosts-to-be-haunted-memory-does-that-just-fine/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“She haunted the makeup department until she was bored, then took a look around home furnishings. She wasn't ever going to get another dining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/she-haunted-the-makeup-department-until-she-was-bored-then-took-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Despite the way she rallied, the haunted look in her eyes was enough to break him, as lost and lonely as an abandoned child’s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mcintyre/despite-the-way-she-rallied-the-haunted-look-in-her-eyes-was-enough/) [Katherine McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mcintyre/) > [“Every town has ‘THAT house’: the one that once held dark secrets. You know the house… the one no one will purchase? The one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caskey/every-town-has-that-house-the-one-that-once-held-dark-secrets-you/) [James Caskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caskey/) > [“..., imagine a loamy earth that starts with genocide, then adds a mix of further disease, wars, hurricanes, murder, great fires, dueling, insurrection and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caskey/imagine-a-loamy-earth-that-starts-with-genocide-then-adds-a-mix-of/) [James Caskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caskey/) > [“Darkness lingered in those blue eyes, like ghosts haunted him despite only the two of them standing in this cabin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mcintyre/darkness-lingered-in-those-blue-eyes-like-ghosts-haunted-him-despite/) [Katherine McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mcintyre/) > [“Your eyes remained haunted. Seeing something in the world that your mirth can not dissolve.” I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/your-eyes-remained-haunted-seeing-something-in-the-world-that-your/) [Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/) > [“The director said he's got a haunted soul and a natural sweetness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-director-said-he-s-got-a-haunted-soul-and-a-natural-sweetness/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [Hotels are really scary. There are a lot of haunted ones in L.A. that I want to check out. So many people come in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-peters/hotels-are-really-scary-there-are-a-lot-of-haunted-ones-in-l-a-that-i/) [Evan Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-peters/) Browse all 398 Haunted quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s still there, but when we lived in Minnesota, we would drive through Janesville to get to our place. If you took the old Highway 14 through town, as you’re heading west, just as you cross Main Street, there’s this old two-story house on the right-hand side of the road.” “What happened?” Daniel anticipated where this was going: “Was someone killed there?” “No. But if you looked up at the attic window you’d see a doll hanging there. It was one of those old-fashioned dolls made of wood and it was hanging from a rafter with a noose around its neck.” “Okay, that’s disturbing.” “No kidding. Well, there are all these stories about the doll and why it’s there. Some people say it moves; others say someone died in the house and the place is haunted. The way I heard it, there was a girl who lived there and the other kids made fun of her because she was the sort of kid that adults call ‘special,’ and kids call all kinds of other things. You know what I mean.” “Sure,” Daniel said quietly. “Anyway, the other kids in the town were relentless, making fun of her, calling her names, all that. The story goes that even when she was a teenager she carried that doll with her everywhere—which only made them make fun of her more. One day her mom was looking for her and couldn’t find her anywhere.” He paused, as if to accentuate how long the girl’s mom searched. “Eventually she went outside to look for her and when she turned around toward the house, she saw her daughter hanging in the attic window where she’d killed herself—hung herself off one of the rafters. And they say that after the funeral, her parents took the same rope that their daughter had used and they hung that doll up there in the window as a constant reminder to the townspeople of what they’d driven their daughter to do.” Daniel was silent. “So, last month I was doing this contemporary-issues assignment and I thought I’d try to find out what really happened. I came across this newspaper article from 1975 that said that one time, years ago, the guy who lived in the house was looking through a National Geographic magazine and saw a picture of a house in Pennsylvania that had a doll hanging in the window and he basically said, ‘Huh. 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