Interesting.
I was talking to my Parents today on the phone. I'm not sure how we got on the topic, but the conversation ended up at a certain point turning to ghostly goings on in their house. They've lived in the house since 1984, I lived there until 1991.
Initially we were talking about the family dog, Lady. I remember their telling me how they used to hear her barking and heard the bell on her collar shortly after her passing. I remember not thinking anything odd about that, in part because I remember certain events I'd experienced in the past, in the house and elsewhere. I believe in ghosts and their manifestations. She even mentioned how on more than one occasion they would both hear her bell and look at each other, questioning the other for validation of what they experienced.
I recall on many occasions seeing a ghost cat within the house, and even at the time Lady would react to it. I never mentioned it to my parents because, well I doubted they'd believe me. So after Lady passed, a much loved and cherished family member, I saw nothing odd in hearing that they felt she was still there.
When I returned home for a visit not long after, I remember being in the downstairs family room when the doorbell rang; immediately after I heard Lady, clear as day, barking her fool head off (as she was want to do whenever it rang). I even yelled her name out loud to have her stop. Only after I called her by name did it sink in that she was not there... in body at least. And on a few occasions I would see her curled up in her favourite napping spot under the end table near the front door, only to disappear moments later.
But back to today's phone call. Immediately after talk of Lady, she mentioned how both her and Dad hear phantom footsteps in the house. Now this is a little surprising these days considering that they both wear hearing aids, but seldom wear them! :-) I asked a few question about what they have been experiencing and where, because I too have had things happen there as well, other than the ghost cat, and Lady.
She said they both often hear someone walking around either on the floor above them or below depending on where they are. She also mentioned how she often calls out to my father when he's not in the house because she hears 'him' coughing, and questioning why he's back so soon... she gets no reply because he is indeed not there.
I didn't bring up my previous experiences because to be truthful I don't want them more spooked than they already are.
But for the record, this is the main event that is as clear to me today as when it originally happened in 1989. My parents were out of town and I had 6 or 7 friends over for a pot-luck dinner and an evening of board games. As it was the first time a few of them visited, I was giving them a tour of the house. When I opened the door to the basement and turned on the light the four of us all saw a man standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up at is. We all immediately reacted, jumped back and gasped/screamed. And as soon as we saw him he vanished. I slammed the door and we all took off upstairs.
We were all shaken up, obviously. The others who had not been with us said they'd take a look. I offered to go with them and we went back down stairs. When I opened the door (the light was still on, as in my hast from moments before I didn't turn it off) We went down the final stairs and looked around. There was no one there and there was no way for anyone to get in or out, the two windows in the basement were too high and too small to enter or exit. But it felt different.
When we all went back upstairs 2 people decided they wanted to leave. The rest of us remained and had an otherwise uneventful but pleasant evening.
I only saw him once more a few months after. I was alone and was going down to get some firewood for the wood stove. As soon as I saw him he vanished. But it was the same 'man', dressed all in black with a trench coat and a hat, like the top hats men wore back around confederation. I wasn't as fearful this time, in part because any time I opened the door after the initial encounter I expected to see him, but also because I just didn't feel any malevolence or ill will from him. Mind you that didn't mean any time I went down there again that I didn't get in and out as fast as possible. And, on occasion I felt as he was there, even if I didn't see him.
I don't know who he is, or was, why he was there or if he is still there to this day... I do know what my parents experienced did not bare any similarity to my experience with 'the man in the basement' so today I didn't bother bringing him up to Mom and Dad. While they didn't seem so bothered with what they've experienced I don't really see the need to add to any concerns they have in the house.
I will keep tabs on what they're experiencing however during future calls...
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