Spo-fans keep asking about the ghost and I am not surprised; people are fascinated by ghosts. I think it was Ben Johnson who said all evidence is against them but all belief if for them.
Having a ghost around the place is a surprise, for I gave up any hopes of having one. When I was a boy I thought living in a haunted house sounded cool. I have looked for ghost-signs in every house we owned. Alas, there were none to be found. My Chicago house seemed a likely candidate. Once upon a time it was owned by a paranoid man, who died falling down the stairs. I had a pagan pal come over on Samhain to do a ritual cleansing. He pointed out there were no indications of spirits. Again, a let down.
The present place has no indications for having a spook. It is relatively new. The previous owner had a family who would drive away any ghost. There is no ‘bad history’ in the area.
I guess it is another example of when you look to date you can’t find anyone and when you don’t try – there he is.
The ghost or spirit or haunt or whatever resides in the west side of the house. At night, there is a sense of foreboding which makes me to not want to walk around without first turning on a light. On the rare occasions I sleep in the guest room I leave a light on and the doors shut. Otherwise I get the willies. The west side is frequently colder than the east, even though the thermostats say they are equal.
The ghost doesn’t seem malevolent. Nor does he ppear to be trying to communicate. On occasion he may move things around but he doesn’t throw things. There are no “bumps in the night”.
As a ghost he is a bit of a disappointment; he is ‘just there’. He is more of a ‘glum’ than a ghost. He is like an elderly relative who creeps around the house and gets on your nerves without any specific reason.
Broadway fans will appreciate the simile to Henrik in “A Little Night Music” As he plays the cello, Ann asks him “Oh Henrik dear, don’t you have anything less gloomy to practice?” When he replies it isn’t gloomy; it’s profound, she asks “Well, couldn’t you be profound later? That’s my ghost.
As I write this I realize Mr. Ghost should be named “Henrik”
Someone finds the concept of a ghost ridiculous. He’s certainly never felt a chill or had the willies etc. and he spends far more time on the west side of the house than I. He points out Harper is not bothered by anything. In my view, this proves nothing. Henrik is apparently a one man/one ghost type of spirit, like “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”. In a way, I am honored to have a personal ghostie.
So that’s Henrik the ghost. He’s not much, but he is all I got. Better than nothing! I’ll keep you posted if he does anything interesting.
20 comments
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January 23, 2011 at 1:38 AM
Tai
That’s cool because I’ve never encountered something like that. You’re lucky!
January 23, 2011 at 1:52 AM
Cubby
Remember the scene in “Ghost Busters” where Ray gets a little midnight nookie from a ghost? Perhaps you’ll get lucky like that some night. Don’t be afraid of getting the willies. Most gay men LOVE willies.
January 23, 2011 at 4:13 AM
anne marie in philly
bwhahahahaha!
most str8 girls like willies too!
January 23, 2011 at 4:05 AM
Mark
Love the dating example. I know exactly what you mean. Enjoy your Henrik!
m.
January 23, 2011 at 4:52 AM
Cameron
I dobelieve in ghosts, I dobelieve in ghosts…I do I do I do I DO!
January 23, 2011 at 4:55 AM
Will
Oh, gay men! It always comes down to examples from Broadway musicals. Sadly, I’ve never had a haunting either. my best shot was the Civil War era in which I lived in Boston from 1972 to 2007. An old farm house, very tall and severe in “American Gothic style, with tall, steep stairs and a dark attic. Alas, all previous inhabitants seem to have been happy sorts with a distinct lack of angst. Treasure Henrik. Maybe some night you’ll get the distant hint of a Bach cello suite sounding from the West Wing.
January 23, 2011 at 5:22 AM
Blobby
Ooooooh. I get the Sondheim reference, since I just saw the play last November!!!
Ghost don’t scare me, as I had one of my own – which you know about. I disagree with the first part of Mr. Johnson’s statement.
Hey….Johnson. Willie. You Sir, are writing smut 19th century style!
January 23, 2011 at 6:07 AM
truthspew
We live in a place that is about 110 years old, in an area where most construction started during the U.S. Civil War.
No ghosts to report of, none. Have lived in older places and never experienced any sort of ghost. Even went on the Providence Ghost Tour, managed to capture a couple of ‘orbs’ if one could reasonably call them that:
Too regular, too many geometric shapes that are similar to the grating on the flash cover. So I think I’ll go with flash artifacts.
January 23, 2011 at 7:28 AM
rg
And you do WHAT for a living?
January 23, 2011 at 10:26 AM
Urspo
I get people to cheer up of course.
January 23, 2011 at 8:16 AM
Hanuman Das
We have a ghost in our home too, although I’ve never done the research to see whom it might be.
If we’re in the basement family room, we can hear someone walking around upstairs but we KNOW that there is no one up there!
Also, Teddyji from time to time will stare at something that is apparently floating in mid air in the living room, but, we can’t see it!
January 23, 2011 at 8:26 AM
Bill J
Was the ghost responsible for the yellow gumdrop?
January 23, 2011 at 10:25 AM
Urspo
No, that was the Muses. Copyrights thereto.
January 23, 2011 at 8:54 AM
Rick
Ghosts, spooks and witchery are quite a business in my neck of the woods. I too (knock on wood) have yet to see a ghost and have too new of a house for one to inhabit but then again what do I know: does house age have to correlate to ghostly inhabitants?
January 23, 2011 at 11:49 AM
scottsabode
Thank you Spo! What sort of things does Henrik move around? I am still concerned we might have ghosts here – though we’ve never seen any or had any indication that there might be any. If I get up in the middle of the night though I don’t like being on the stairs, but that’s probably me just spooking myself… I have been studying the history of the house but haven’t turned up any deaths, though there’s sure to be some that have occurred in last 130 years…
January 23, 2011 at 2:50 PM
Laurent
We had a ghost in a previous house we owned in Aylmer Quebec. His name of Christopher Irish, he was the 12 yrs old son of the original owner builder of the house in 1885. He died young and his shadow, that of a young boy would appear at night on the west side in the corridor between the 2 childrens bedrooms. He had a sister Marguerite who married well. He was a quiet boy but everyone noticed his appearances and even the dogs would be spooked though he meant no harm. So I know what you mean.
January 23, 2011 at 4:22 PM
DougT
The west side of your house- oh, the part where you put me when I stay with you. My best shot at a ghost was my grandmother’s old house in eastern Massachusetts. It was built during the Revolutionary War and Nathaniel Hawthorn is rumored to have been an occasional visitor when he was a child. There is even a small (now sealed off) secret room. Never a hint of a ghost.
January 23, 2011 at 8:13 PM
Jay
There is a place in Des Moines that is supposed to have a ghost. They even sell a post card with a picture (supposedly) of said ghost on it. Of course it could just be a smear on the negative. I would like to have a ghost as it might be someone to talk to.
January 23, 2011 at 8:29 PM
jefferyrn
There are all sorts for ghost. I have a theory that sometimes people are haunted, not their houses.
January 24, 2011 at 3:56 AM
the cajun
Inherited a ghost in an apartment in NYC. Female and very sweet. Knew she was around when the scent of vanilla filled the air. Later learned (from another tenant) that scent came from the “rice powder” the old girl wore in life.