[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Originally Posted by Jeysie

I've not seen a speck of anything remotely ghostly

Thou summons me!

I see ghosts in each place I move in to (save one, which was a new house). I see them at first (peripherally), then they fade away as we get used to each other; and while I don't see them any more, I think about them from time to time. I wonder what they think about me. I mean, they get to see me do... everything.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Originally Posted by lumi

I used to be Christian. I didn't believe in demons then either, though. I thought of them as just allegorical.

They're older than the Bible, you know.

[Squinky]

I prefer friendly ghosts, myself.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I've never met any other kind <touch wood>.

[Davies]

There's never been any recorded incidence of a ghost harming humans, or even deliberately frightening them. Startling, yes, but not maliciously scaring.

The previous occupant of Colin's flat in London was an elderly man named Peter, who died there and was left undiscovered for a long time -- weeks or even months. The body was finally found when somebody noticed all the flies at the windows. His little dog had eaten some of his body before dying too.

Anyway, the flat was cleaned up and Colin got it, and then years later I joined him there. It was definitely haunted, and we have always assumed the ghost was the previous occupant. Col didn't tell me about it, so I got a shock the first time.

I was in the toilet (the flat had a separate toilet room and bathroom) just to blow my nose, so I left the door open. I caught a glimpse of a figure in the corridor, as if Colin was heading for the toilet but then saw me in there and turned back. So I turned around to say, "No, you can use it," and saw just the last bit of movement around the corner. Colin being deaf, I figured he didn't hear me, so I followed into the living room -- and there Colin was, sound asleep. It was all very disorientating. When he woke up, I described what I'd seen, and then he told me about Peter.

Some time later I was doing the washing-up and suddenly felt that there was someone standing very close behind me. I whirled around, expecting it to be Colin... and there was nobody, just that feeling of someone close. Col, again, was in the living room.

Peter seemed to be a friendly enough ghost, just wanting to hang around and be with us. He took a special interest in me for a long time, I suppose because I was the newcomer. If I was doing anything in one place for a considerable time, he'd stand behind me. I presume he was looking over my shoulder to see what I was doing.

When we were moving out of the flat, I had to move first because of my job, while Colin arranged the packing and so on. Peter was very upset when Col started packing and moving things out, and banged on the bed every night when he was trying to go to sleep. Col says it was exactly like someone slamming both hands as hard as possible on the mattress. Eventually, when we were about to leave for the last time, I said, "You can come with us if you want to, Peter."

And he did. He came with us to Bolton and is still here in this house. He usually hangs around the upstairs corridor, and we occasionally see him there, just a glimpse of a tall figure in a dark coat and hat, usually just going away or turning the corner. Colin sees him in the bedroom more often than I do, either standing at the foot of the bed or walking across the room.

Once I was sitting at the computer, which was right at the top of the house in those days, and suddenly felt a hand come down on my shoulder. Again, my first thought was that it must be Colin, even though I would have had to hear him on the stairs and see him enter the room. When I turned round and there was nobody there, I yelled and jumped -- not frightened as such, only startled. I immediately "felt" Peter dash to the far corner of the room, and sensed that he was terribly sorry. Just waves of apology pouring out of that corner. I said it was OK, I was just startled, but he shouldn't do it again. Eventually he was reassured, and he's never tried touching me again.

One Christmas Peter seemed to have a guest over for a couple of weeks, a woman with dark curly hair. They were both pretty active for a while, but I haven't seen her again since then. Still, it's nice that he has friends.

[Erwin_Br]

I love stories like that I wouldn't be happy with a ghost in my room, though, no matter how friendly.

--Erwin

[Squinky]

I would be, if he turned into Devon Sawa at the end of the movie.

[SnorkleCat]

Ooohh a haints thread!

I have to tell about two odd experiences.

I was living alone in our little old creole cottage in Abbeville (Louisiana, not South Carolina). Not alone actually, my two cats and big dog, Findlay, were living there with me. I had bought Findlay a large, stuffed, white tiger toy to play with. I need to describe this tiger so you'll understand. The tiger was one I had gotten from a Wildlife Conservation store and proceeds from the sale went to support conservation of that species. It was a large tiger equipped with a hidden chip, and it would make jungle noises and roaring sounds if a specific spot on its paw were pressed. Its blue eyes would also light up and flicker.

Now, this spot that needed to be pressed wasn't easy to find. One had to really mash on a very specific place to achieve the proper effect, but occasionally Findlay would find that spot and the tiger would start roaring and chirping with rain forest sounds and its eyes would light up and this display would carry on for about 20 seconds or so.

Very silly really, but it amused us both.

One evening, Findlay was driving me ape with his toy and being a tad too rambunctious, so I confiscated it, putting it in the front bedroom, on the bed, and closing the door.

We were having a bit of weather that night, as we often do in Louisiana, with thunder and lightning - nothing very heavy at all. No rain, even, just mirrored lightning and distant rumbles. All was fine and peaceful until I heard the tiger start up his roaring and noises in the next room. Thinking Findlay had somehow gotten the door open, I went to see, but the door was still latched, and Findlay was standing outside, all alert and staring at the bedroom door.
So I opened it. I opened the door and went inside that dark room to find the tiger lying on the floor (not the bed) and it was definitely roaring and its eyes were all blue and flickery. I have absolutely no rational explanation for how the tiger came to be on the floor and how the spot on its paw came to be pressed. Any rational ideas? I'm a fan of common sense and I still don't know what to make of it.

The other odd thing, and this happened on occasion, was that that particular bedroom door would come unlatched for no good reason. The cottage is fairly old and has been in my family since it was built. We're not blue bloods, so the cottage is of plain, sturdy construction (has withstood many a hurricane and flood) with square nails, palmetto planks, and plain milk wash paint on the walls. The fixtures are all unfancy and there are no door knobs- just basic hook and eye closures on the inside and outside. After the tiger incident, I took to keeping the front bedroom latched from the outside. But a few times it unlatched itself and would swing open with a squeak.

[jacog]

You forgot to mention the voodoo supplies in the attic.

[SnorkleCat]

Ah yes...upstairs next to the chimney, along with the biggest collection of ancient Mason jars I've ever seen. Ahhh... Southern Gothic...