Do you have a Ghost?

One night as I lay alone in my bedroom, I could swear I kept feeling something touch my hair. I turned around and expected to see one of my children standing by the side of the bed, but no such luck. I brushed off my shivers and then as I was about to fall asleep, I felt it again. Being the scaredy cat that I am, I put my head under the covers and eventually dozed off. I was glad I had central air conditioning.

The next day on coffee break at work, I mentioned my experience outside at the crowded picnic tables. Before I knew it, I was bombarded with tall tales of the unknown that lasted almost every break time and for the entire summer. That first day after I made my ghostly announcement, and as my break crew and I were walking into the elevator to go back to work, one of the older women shrugged her shoulders at me and nonchalantly stated,  "Face it girl, your house has a presence."  I could not help but roll my eyes.

While I laughed off most of what the ladies had to say that summer, I had not forgotten about it. Here is short compilation of what the average American office worker that I know had to say about ghostly mischief.

1. Feeling of being watched or one of being touched. I was told that, "Ghosts get bold. They will sometimes touch you to make sure you are real."   I need to prove to them I am real? You getting this?

2. Strange behavior in your pets. This was one that the entire crew agreed upon. "Animals can sense what we cannot," exclaimed one girl," My dog chases our ghost right out the door."   Hmmmm. My dog chases his tail and partakes in other activities I don't exactly fight enlightening. Maybe I need a new dog?

3. "Shadows. I see shadows out of the corner of my eye," one of the accountants noted. I try to see them head on, but they run from my view." I noticed she had really long hair. It made me wonder if her shadows were her chestnut locks.

4. Missing Objects. This was a favorite among the coffee break crew. I was told that ghosts will move your glasses, or take a sip from your drink. So, the next time, you think you poured yourself a cup of coffee and suddenly your mug is empty. Well, you get the point. I had enjoyed that excuse. Made me realize I am not forgetful. The ghosts took my keys. I wonder if that would work for a sick day at the office.

5. Noises and odors. Creaks, squeaks, footsteps, coughing, and laughter. The list goes on but the one thing they all have in common is the owner of the home cannot explain them. One lady said one evening before she was preparing for bed, an overpowering odor of cologne took over her bedroom. That was how she knew her ghost had come back. She thought he was gone when he had not made his presence known, but after a year, he showed back up and let her know through the smell of his perfume. Possibly, I cannot hear anything in my house because my kids are always screaming or making some kind of noise and some of the odors that go on when their friends cramp into the bedroom to play video games. Well, now that is scary.

6. Moving Objects. Kitchen chairs ajar, closed door opened, couches moved and curtains drawn. According to the work crew, ghosts want us to know they are there and if we ignore them, they will leave us little reminders. I made a joke that I would not mind my kitchen chairs being moved--easy vacuuming. That produced a few raised eyebrows.

7. Electrical items. Last but not least, there were more stories spoken on this than anything else. The flickering of lights, TV's changing channels, and radios blaring an old tune on a station you are sure you never set. I know I have experienced the channel phenomena by sitting on the clicker.

Day after day, we sat around on break at work and I listened to so many different types of stories. One morning, one of the ladies announced I looked tired. She claimed they all knew the ghost was pestering me and I was not getting any sleep. She was correct but I was not about to admit myself into the circle of the paranormal office workers. I worked in the lab of the building. This stuff didn't fly with the other white coats.

The co-workers all agreed it was not an evil ghost but a child-like one. One morning, one opened her pursue and tried to hand me a stick of weeds. "It is sage. Just burn it throughout the house, tell the ghost you are tired and it needs to leave you be." I smiled but declined the offer.

Later that afternoon as I was making my way past the marketing department, I saw that bundle of weeds in my co-worker's "out" basket. I moved closer to it. There on a posty note was my name. At first, I started to walk by it, but backtracked, smiled that she was not in her cubicle, and took the sage. Ya know, just in case.

While I will never admit to the group whether or not I used the sage, they did comment that I was looking so much better. I looked so well rested. I smiled and sipped at my coffee, as I watched the fall season clouds move in over the horizon.

Maryann Paige is a paranormal author who resides in the Hudson Valley of New York. Visit her at http://www.maryannpaige.com.