As far back as I can remember I have always wanted to encounter a ghost. After hearing numerous stories attributed to the above mentioned entity it was my ardent wish that one would scare the living daylights out of me. But as is the case with all such things, the more you want to meet them the more elusive they become.

I grew up, and in the course of time married too. A smart hunky wonderful man from the army! Is it heaps of praise heaped on one hapless man? As is the way of the army, we led a basically exciting but a nomadic life. Pack the bags and every other belonging and shift base every two years. (In our case it was every one year but that’s another story). On one such posting to Wellington(the one near Ooty not in new Zealand or any other land for that matter, there seem to be lots of Wellingtons floating about, a legacy of the British no doubt.) we got to live in an old old house from the British era. Wooden flooring, high ceilings and the works. And a resident ghost!

When I heard that I was thrilled to bits! “A real live ghost! Imagine! And a Lord at that, Lord Waverly! “I said to my hubby. Who looked at me as if I’d lost my marbles (he keeps looking at me like that from time to time, it’s a man thing I think!) and said,” Toops if it’s a ghost it can’t be live or real!” but me I wasn’t letting anyone burst my bubble of ghostly happiness! So we settled in our new home. Days went past, then weeks. I wasn’t very let down by the ghost not appearing. I was prepared to give it some time, I mean with all the noise of settling down and getting used to new people….Then months went by and still no sign of Lord Waverly. One evening while on a walk (to keep the fat cells from permanently living on my hips) I met a lady who was telling another lady,” you know they say she can’t reach her kitchen at all in the night. Poor thing, the ghost keeps her in the living room and there she roams about round and round.” Now I was interested,” who, what, whom, where?” I fired one after the other rapidly. And I was informed,” a ghost, in that house by the stables, you know Major Xyz? ”Before I could nod my head,” poor Toops can’t reach her kitchen in the nights after 12, lord Waverly’s ghost keeps her in the living room and she wakes up on the floor, in the cold in the morning!” I was stunned! All that happening in my house to me and I didn’t know about this! Had to hear it from these kind ladies! SHAME!

When my dear hubby came back from his classes I told him, word for word what I’d heard (another have you lost your marbles look), but no comments. So I said maybe the ghost keeps waiting for me in the living room sakha, but umm I never go to the kitchen at 12 in the night! Maybe today I will! I’m all excited. Finally! So that night I don’t sleep (once I sleep 10 ghosts could dance naked and I wouldn’t wake up) at 1 o’ clock I creep out of bed, I wake Sakha and ask him,” do you want water?” He mumbles.(only two things wake sakha up when he is sleeping, sounds of bullets firing and…one little word whispered in his ear or in his vicinity.) I Whisper it! SEX. He sits up and looks at me clear eyed! I ask sweetly,” Do you want water? I’m going to go get some.” His eyes lose there luster and he mumbles no and back to sleep. MEN! I get up and go out. No ghost! I get into the bed disheartened, Then I hear a husky voice next to my ear,” when I die Toops I promise I’ll haunt you, not a moments peace you’ll get, I turn and look into my husband’s eyes expecting to see that expression but all I see is love and laughter, we laugh together at 1.30 in the night with our arms round each other!”
Let’s just say the night wasn’t a total waste. And as for that poor Toops , ladies still talk about how she used to not be able to reach her kitchen after 12 in the night…..