By Glen L. Bledsoe
Jimmy Allen Cotton was raised by his aunt after his parents went to jail as a result of being involved in a Ponzi scheme that cheated quite a number of people out of their retirement funds. Jimmy's Aunt Sally had her own business. She was a medium and fortune teller plus she had a pet washing facility that made her a little money on the side.
Aunt Sally took Jimmy in and made him her assistant during seances. He was the one who created the illusion of ectoplasm coming out of his aunt's orifices (if that isn't too crude of a word to use). Much to his Aunt Sally's delight Jimmy discovered that he could exude ectoplasm from his fingertips and from the corners of his mouth without any gimmicks.
Jimmy took to the stage and soon became famous. He performed before audiences around the world and was even invited to perform for the President of the United States at the White House. However, at a reception for a show he put on in Cleveland, Ohio someone challenged him to eat a jar filled with hot peppers. Jimmy won the challenge and $50 USD in cash, but the burns in his mouth made it impossible for him to exude ectoplasm again. Jimmy, however, was not discouraged and opened up a dry cleaning business and was quite financially successful. He still looks back at his days on stage as Mr. Ectoplasm as the best days of his life.
