With Hallowe’en fast approaching, I thought it was time to face up to one of my fears.

As a child, I was scarred by a movie. Both scared and scarred. I had nightmares for a week following my viewing of said movie. I have not seen this movie again, until today. I’ve decided that I was tired of being a slave to this horrific nightmare that has engulfed nearly my entire life. It was time to take back the power. It was time to confront the monster.

It was time to rewatch Mr. Boogedy.

Yep. That’s right. Mr. Boogedy. Most of you will never have heard of the movie, but that’s because it was a 45 minute made-for-TV family film – a Disney production. This is now available for the world to view on Disney+.

Mr. Boogedy aired in 1986, making me the ripe old age of 8. I can still vividly recall parts of my recurring dream to this day. If memory serves, it lasted at least a good week, but with how memory works, maybe it was really only one or two nights. The image that stuck with me was Mr. Boogedy had one or two of my family members (I think… that part is hazy) floating in the air in a giant field. And then he teleported large construction equipment like a pay loader and dump truck and had them swirling in the air around my family members, like they were stuck in a tornado. I was terrified that they would be crushed to death by the machines.

But today, I took back the power. Mr. Boogedy no longer has a hold on me.

I hope my inspiring message has given you the courage to face one of your childhood fears. I think many people are traumatized by movies or TV shows as kids. To protect his privacy, I’ll leave this vague, but one of my siblings was traumatized by Scooby-Doo cartoons when he was younger. He had nightmares when we watched it, so I had to start watching episodes in my parents’ bedroom with the door closed so he couldn’t see them.

(Don’t worry [redacted]. I didn’t use your name. No one will ever know it’s you.)

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And you, my dear reader, what was the movie or TV show that scared the bejeezus out of you as a child? Have you gone back to reclaim your power? Share your tales of horror and dread. Don’t let it keep hold on you.