Two weeks ago

I was out of town in Jefferson City Mo. I stayed in the Plaza, only a block from the capitol building. It wasn't a bad place. I hated the fact that they didnt offer free WiFi to their guests but..well some places are just far behind in their times.

Anyway. I'm a chronic insomniac so when I finally fall asleep it's a pretty safe bet to leave me sleeping. My mother is an early bird. On Wednesday we were supposed to check out of the hotel to move on north to St. Charles. Mom decided that for the good of our relationship I be allowed to sleep in and then be responsible for checking out of the hotel. She would come pick me up when her meetings were through.

I woke up breifly on Wednesday morning around 7:30 or 8 to visit the restroom and secure all the locks on the door. I went back to sleep.

Suddenly I hear a man say "Boo."

Not creepy, frightful elongated BOOOOO, Just matter of factly Boo. This is somethign my husband has a habit of doing so my knee jerk responnse was very funny. Until a split second later I remembered I wasnt home and Dh wasn't with me. I sat up to find a man standing beside the bed watching me.

With my one hand I groped for the phone to call for help while staring in wide eyed fear.

I couldn't find the phone with my blind groping!

My gaze darted to the door. Hadn't I se4cure the locks?

I had! How did he get in?

My eyes diverted back to the place where the man had stood--only to discover he was gone! Terror flooded my heart.

Where had he gone? How had he gotten in?

Certainly I was dreaming. I had to have been! Wasn't I?

This wasn't my first encounter with the unexplained. Over the course of my (middle aged) long life, I've had many strange and odd experiences.

The house my parents currently live in has a ghost. George. I dont know how long he's been there. Couldn't tell you why he hangs around but he does.

When I was a kid my dad got this really awesome pool table. I LOVE to play pool (always slop)--I suck at it, but I love it. Anyway, in the half finished basement stood this pool table dominating the room and against hte back wall was an antique table...I'm not sure what it's actually called but it was small like a mini end table.

Above this hung an old portrait of some ancient ancestor--her pic scared the bajeebers out of me! Those eyes ALWAYS seemed to be moving!

After homework I would go downstair, put my transister radio on the little table and crank out rock (KSHE 95, the ORIGINAL rock station! WOOHOO)

So one evening mom calls me up for dinner. I turn off the radio, put it back on the table, lay my pool stick on the table and head upstairs. I eat, do my chores and head back to the basement...halfway down the steps I realize I hear music...the radio is on? I turend it off. i'm sure I did.

I reach the basement floor and there is the radio, sitting near the steps, the radio is on, (some oldies station!). I completely freaked out, ran up stairs and it took me a long LOONG time to get the courage to go back down.

Over the years I've heard George walking through the house, he turns on lights, plays music. Is basuically harmless he just wants us to know he's still around.

My son, daughter in law and little Alyx live there with my folks. There are times when suddenly alyx will stand up and start talking to no one, laughign, giggling, singing and dancing around with no one--I think she and George are having a wonderful time together.

Have a great rest of the week!

HUGZ
JJ