Ghosts 'n' Stuff

“Darkness falls across the land

The midnight hour is close at hand

Creatures crawl in search of blood

To terrorize [your] neighborhood

Where I work is just a few feet from the Willard Library in Evansville.  The Willard is notorious for being haunted by the "Grey Lady." 

I've spent many hours of my life in that library and I've never seen her.  That's not to say that she isn't there.  I could always watch the ghost cam, or I could go on a ghost tour, but for either of those, I might have to stay up past my bedtime, and, well, I have my priorities.

Now, the Willard is like way over a 100 years old, and at some time during those years, the building I work in - the old Fendrich Cigar Factory building in Evansville, which is next door to the Willard - provided extra storage for the Library on its fourth floor.  The story goes that some of the workers at Berry have seen the Grey Lady in our building, too.  Maybe she just likes to get out.

I've always disregarded these stories.  But lately, I'm beginning to wonder.  Several times in the past several months, I would resume typing at my computer only to find that my keyboard had been unplugged from the USB port.  The first couple of times, the cord just seemed as though it had just wiggled loose.  But the last several times, it has been totally unplugged.  Frankly, I just assumed that someone was playing tricks on me.  If I still worked with a certain attorney who may or may not remain nameless... it will depend on where this post ends up going, then I would certainly believe he was just trying to gaslight me.  During the 10+ years I worked with him, he was constantly up to something, moving things around on people's desks, putting empty sardine cans in another attorney's desk drawers, placing framed photos of himself on other people's desks just to see how long it took for them to notice.  Many of you KNOW who I'm talking about.  However, unfortunately I no longer work with him.  Sniff...

That doesn't mean that there might not be someone here at Berry who could be playing with my mind.  After all, one of the attorneys here at Berry is his friend.

And whosoever shall be found

Without the soul for getting down

Must stand and face the hounds of hell

And rot inside a corpse’s shell

But just the other day, I was sitting at my desk working, minding my own business, USING THE KEYBOARD with no issues.  My phone rang, and I stopped, picked up the phone, and talked with the woman who called - all the while, sitting at my desk, with my keyboard and the USB cord/port in my sight.  When the call was over, I hung up, and started typing again.  But the keyboard wasn't working.  I looked and saw this

Photograph of reenactment of the crime



Note that the USB cord (circled in red) is a good 1-2 inches from the USB slot.  Let me repeat that the general area contained in this picture was within my sight the ENTIRE TIME, so no actual person unplugged it!

The foulest stench is in the air

The funk of forty thousand years

And grizzly ghouls from every tomb

Are closing in to share your doom

Frankly, this all reminds me of about twenty years ago (OMG, I'm getting old!), when I had a VCR (again, evidence of age, I suppose) that seemed to be possessed - it would turn on and off by itself.  Seriously, I'd be sitting on the couch, reading a book - back in the good old days when I could actually see to read - and all of a sudden the VCR would turn on.  I didn't have cats back in those days, so I couldn't blame it on a furry paw stepping on the remote.

I don't think I believe in ghosts, although assuming no malicious intent on their part, ghosts might be fun to have around.  There are several mystery series where the main character and his/her ghost companion go around solving the murder.  Of course, why the ghost can't just ask the ghost of the murder victim who killed him is beyond me. 

Anyway, Happy Halloween!

And though you fight to stay alive

Your body starts to shiver

For no mere mortal can resist

The evil of the thriller”

- Rob Temperton