It happened again last night.
This time, it happened in Austin.
It's happened in some of the most notoriously haunted places on earth -- at Borley Rectory and Hampton Court, at the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana, at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts.
I'm a genuine ghostbuster.
I can't get haunted for the, er. life of me.
Once, I even called 'Talk of the Nation' during a call-in program with a man who'd written extensively about hauntings, to ask if most people were like me. He said he didn't know about most people, but, to his rue, althought he did believe the accounts of those who said they'd experienced spirit encounters, HE hadn't.
I was guaranteed to feel a presence brushing my back as i dined at an ancient hotel in Austin, one of those places that was there before Texas was a state -- a place that didn't cross the border; the border crossed it.
I had a nice dinner.
I was guaranteed to feel "something unusual" at the Hawthorne, for which people book a year in advance to experience their October happenings. Salem, of course, has become a sort of mecca for would-be witches and psychic of all kinds, because of the horrible happenings there in 1692, when ninteen innocents were hanged and one pressed to death with stones when young girls cried "Witch!"
Room 402 was supposed to be a hot spot.
Since I had a cold and stayed in bed, I crept down there in my white nightgown.
When the inhabitants emerged, i'm sure THEY thought that they'd seen a ghost, and will always remember the woman in white running away down the hall.
There was a convention of PSYCHICS in the building!
I went down to one of the most haunted areas of the building -- the library -- where a young and very solid young worker recently saw a woman standing next to him near the mirrored pillar.
Except she was only in the mirror.
His boss thought he was hitting the sauce, but he wasn't and he won't work in that room anymore. I told a couple of mediums (media?) I met about the woman in the mirror and one in particular got spooked. First she put on her sweater. Then she put on her shawl, though the room was warm.
Of course, a "cold spot" is one of the most surefire proofs of the presence of a spirit.
I was absolutely toasty.
I might as well give up.
All I'm looking for is one nice chat with one nice ghost so I can fulfill my ambition of writing a ghost story.
People say, don't ask, for you shall receive.
I'm asking!
No one evil please.
No close relatives.
No axe murderers or people without heads.
Just a nice person caught between here and there.
I'm the one in the white nightgown!
Jackie Mitchard
Comments (3)
Jackie,
Ghosts in Austin, huh? I was there. Interestly enough, ghosts have followed me around for most of my life...or maybe I follow them. Whichever the case may be, I have them crop up when I least expect it, and I've learned to enjoy that. Not all of my filmy friends present themselves visually, but I always know when they are there. Good luck with your own ghost hunting.
I heard you speak at the Texas Conference for Women, and I must say that you certainly inspired me to get back to my writing. I currently work in a "ball-bearing" facility for Shell, and felt hopelessly trapped until I heard your words. I may still be at this place for awhile to feed myself, but you can bet that it's only a matter of time before you see my name in print:)
Thanks for the inspiration,
Vicki Sexton
wordwiz00@hotmail.com
Posted by Vicki Sexton | October 24, 2005 4:23 PM
Posted on October 24, 2005 16:23
Hi Jackie,
Ghosts in Austin, huh? I was there.
I heard you speak at the Texas Conference for Women, and your words motivated me to get back to my writing and get my stuff out there to an agent. I've had a pretty good submission to publication ratio just freelancing it, but after hearing you, I'm ready to see my words in print in a big way. Wish me luck.
Interestingly enough, I've been followed by ghosts most of my life........or maybe I follow them. Whichever it is, my filmy friends manifest themselves when I least expect it. Not always do they appear in a visual form. Lots of times it's a smell, a combination of sounds or just a feeling in the air. My most recent friend had an overwhelming scent of roses. She lived with me for a time in Houston, followed me to the national forest where I live now, and generally helped me through some very rough times when my mom died and my scoundrel of a boyfriend betrayed me. She rearranged my hair clips on the dresser, truend down the bedclothes once and stayed with me while I needed her It's all good. I have noticed that ghosts are more prevalent in places where there are older people. I frequently visit a nursing home with my current boyfriend to see his mom, and they are EVERYWHERE there. Try one of those places.
Good luck with your ghost hunting and thanks so much for the inspiration. :)
Vicki
woodnymph00@gmail.com
Posted by Vicki Sexton | October 25, 2005 8:57 AM
Posted on October 25, 2005 08:57
Hauntings...ghosts ..oh, yea I could tell you many stories coming from the Bienvenue House where in 1890's a woman and here daughter were murder...many stories from locals, to visitors to friends. Check out LA Spirits who did a paranormal investigation of the house in June and recorded voices..one voice in Cajun French Saying "don't look:" (www.laspirits.com). Come and experience yourself!
Posted by Jill Kuhn | September 28, 2007 10:59 PM
Posted on September 28, 2007 22:59