I had to explain things to a ghost! ~ Submitted by Rita at: mylonnie@postoffice.pacbell.net My friends, Bernie and Anne, had just opened their own antique store in Fullerton California. It was approximately two weeks before Christmas 1990, and my daughter Lisa was at a loss what to buy her boyfriend George for Christmas. She had contacted Anne looking for W W II medals, because George collected military memorabilia, especially WW II medals. The store consisted of many antique vendors, and luckily, a vendor had purchased Marine Corps medals from an estate sale. We decided to go on a Saturday afternoon. We were looking at the beautiful new store when Bernie and Anne saw us and brought a large leather velvet box to the front counter. The counter was glass displaying beautiful colored antique glass ware of every kind. The cupboards behind the glass counter were filled with Waterford Glass and everything was lit. The only object behind the counter was a small Victorian bird cage on a pedestal. The cage was attached to the pedestal with a ring and a hook, balanced on the floor with a secure three legged ball feet. It was about five feet away from us and the glass counter. Anne was inside the counter facing Lisa and me. We were looking at the medals when I observed the bird cage beginning to swing back and forth in our direction. Before I could warn Anne, the bird cage began swinging so violently that the pedestal tipped over and the cage flew between Anne and us hitting the glass counter causing the glass ware and medals to fly all over the floor. When we got control of ourselves, and started picking up the glass and metals, we were amazed that absolutely nothing was broken! Everyone, heard the loud crash, the rushed to our aid. We noticed a faint smell of cigarette smoke even though there was no one smoking. The cage was very secure on the pedestal, and had been there for at least six months, according to Anne. Lisa bought the medals and we left to drive to a market near our home. By the time we had left the market it was dark. Lisa had a hatch back Datsun 280 ZX. We lifted the hatch back and put the groceries in the trunk.. I got into the passenger side and immediately was overcome by the strongest cigarette smoke, I had ever smelled.. I got out of the car and there was no cigarette smoke outside. Lisa got into the driver's side and had to get out because the smoke was burning her throat. It smelled like the strongest accumulation of non-filtered cigarettes I remembered when I was a child during the 1940's. We decided to get in the car and Lisa opened the sun roof. We couldn't understand where it came from because we did not smell the smoke when we opened the hatch back putting the groceries in the trunk.. It wouldn't go away! Lisa decided to leave the parking lot, when I decided to start talking to our invisible guest. I explained the medals were going to a man who would value them and appreciate all the suffering and bravery it took to acquire them. Suddenly, the smell was gone, like it had never been there. It was the best Christmas gift George ever received
BACK
TO GHOST MASTER HOME PAGE Thanks Rita for sharing your true ghost story with us. :) |