I have been living with a ghost for almost 8 years now. He died in the bathroom of my flat after drinking himself to death. The estate
agent reassured me that he died in hospital but his ghost informs me otherwise.
On the day I moved in, I was sitting on a rocker when I noticed a blue shape moving at the corner of my eye. It moved from one corner
of the room to the next. It seemed to be tending to something like plants. I ignored it because I am always seeing stuff like that.
I then lay down and put on some classical music. I was crying because I had just split with my boyfriend. Whilst crying and listening
to music with my face down, I felt a hand stroking the top of my head. It seemed so gentle and reassuring I did not feel afraid.
Of course, there was no-one there.
That night and almost every night for about 4 months after, a kick against the bathroom room door could be heard (at about 11.30pm).
(There is a massive dent in the door where I think the man who once lived here collapsed...)
There were also footsteps in the hallway, like dragging slippers and hangers would fly fall from the wardrobe in the hallway onto
the floor.
In addition to this, the telephone in the kitchen would ring for no reason. The telephone in the kitchen (which is next to the
bathroom) is attached to an extension. The main phone is in the bed room. When people call me both phones ring and in order to get
to the phone in the kitcehn the call must go mthrough the main line in the bed room. However, for the first 7 years of living in
the flat the phone would ring twice (two rings) in the kitchen ONLY just before I went to bed. If I went to bed at 11pm it would
ring twice. If I went to bed at 2am it would ring then, and so on. If I picked it up there would be no-one there. I had the phone
company check the line for faults - there were none.
One night during the first summer in the flat, I was continually woken up by something. It was like being shaken by someone.
I eventually slept with the light on but only after being woken up about 10 times. It was daylight when I finally slept.
On another occasion, I woke at 6am to see a blue mist of a figure standing by my bed.
On another occasion, I had gone to friend's house and my mother was staying in my flat. Before going to my friend's place, I had had
a row with my mother and thought she might be sulking about it. I decided to make it up to her upon my return. When I knocked the
door to come in, I was glad to hear footsteps, the sound of slippers and hear the keys rustle in the lock. But the door knob moved
to the right and then fell back as if the effort was too great. Then there was silence. I knocked again. No answer. I thought my
mother was still annoyed and rushed to phone box where I called her. After some time she answered the phone. Why won't you let me in?
I asked. What do you mean, she said I have only just got out of the bath where I fell asleep. She had not heard me knock.
One Xmas eve when I left for my mother's house I heard a kick on the door behind me as if to say, "and a merry Xmas to you too!"
I felt scared. When I got back, I talked to the empty kitchen, (this is where the ghost's prescence seems strongest) saying that
I was glad to live in the flat and that I would like us to coexist. I emphasized that he was welcome to stay and should not feel
as though he was being evicted." The footsteps and falling hangers stopped and I had the bathroom door taken off. Every Xmas I now
wish the empty living room a merry Xmas. It seems the right thing to do.
One Easter, I actually saw the ghost looking at me although I was in one of those trances states. He was a tall, rather, old balding
man with piercing blue eyes. He did not seem sinister but rather bored. He did not say anything, but just looked blankly. I described
what I had seen to the estate agent who asked me if I had known the previous tenant.
My mother's dog would bark at thin air - usually staring at the same corner of living room or he would suddenly run of the
living room on various occasions.
As the years have gone by the "haunting" has become quieter, and after I met my current boyfriend I thought they had stopped. But one
Xmas, I was telling someone on the phone about the ghost. I then wrote a letter and told my brother the same thing. (I had just
changed the phone in my room to an internet line and the phone calls in the kitchen had stopped so I thought the ghost had gone.)
I pressed print and went to the kitchen. When I came back, I found the printer had jammed (it has never jammed before or since)
and when the paper came out, the sentences about the ghost "he is kind and harmless and just hates being ignored" was highlighted
in blue ink. In the text on the PC however, was black like the rest of the letter.
Doors I had left open started being shut when I turned around. This really scared me. I had another talk with the empty kitchen.
All activity ceased.
Then a month ago, I was angry with my boyfriend for working late and when I heard the door go, I hid under the covers pretending to
sleep (sulk!) I heard someone move towards me and stand by my bed for a while. I was feeling to stroppy to say hello. Then the heavy
footsteps left the room, walked through the kitchen to the bathroom. I thought, when my boyfriend returns, I will talk and sort
things out. But after waiting for 10 minutes, nothing happened. I lay there wondering what he was up to in there! I must have been
waiting an hour when I heard the key in the lock. It was my boyfriend. I asked him why he came in earlier, he said he hadn't, but
that he had just come in for the first time. I wonder what I would have seen if I had looked up!
Overall, I must say that my ghost has not ever threatened me in any way. He seems to pop up when there are arguments and when I am
down and I see him as a comfort.
I do not think all ghosts are bad or spooky or something to fear.
