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This and That: Are you a believer or a sighter?
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Are there ghosts among us? Do you believe in ghosts or do you feel there is a scientific explanation for the strange and unusual? If you do believe, there is no need to worry —or to hid like a “skeleton in a closet”— because, according to one of the more recent Gallop Polls, one out of three people say they are believers too! (and statistics are climbing even higher in their favor.)
But why the sudden ghost talk? Of course, it’s that time again! Halloween —or should we say All Hallows Eve—the best known festival of the dead.
And for those dead souls that allegedly stick around, we have many different names. Here is a quick list (I suddenly feel like George Carlin with the “list of things”).
We have essences, manifestations, nightshades, phantasms, phantoms, presence, shades, shadows, souls —I need to take a breath—specters, spirits, spooks, visions, wraith, paranormals, poltergeist, apparitions... and lastly, ghosts.
Why do they haunt? Why not just move on, up, down or just plain old cross over into wherever they are supposed to go? There may be several reasons: pick one, two, or all.
They like to give warnings, help, comfort or advise mortals (that would be our mothers: the advise ghosts). Some just can’t move on because of their sins or guilt. Others love to return to a place they loved, loathed, or otherwise have grown attached to during their life.
We have the guardians that protect or watch over the premises. We have lingerers that wish to make sure their bones are found or remain buried. Also nice ghosts that will stick around and provide for their heirs such as telling them where the family treasure is buried (I should be so lucky).
The worse kind of ghost is the one that seeks revenge, right a wrong, or obtain justice (especially those who have been murdered).
But do we have any of these ghosts on Marco Island and have they been sighted? I can’t tell you the number of ghosts, but I can tell you the locations!
The first and most believable is The Olde Marco Inn. It is said that there is a ghost that inhabits the original building which is currently the lobby and dining room. The ghost can be heard walking up the steps at night and opening and closing doors. This ghost even moves chairs! Which brings me to a little dining tip: check to see if the chair is directly behind you before you sit and be sure to grasp either side or back in the event of a quick ghostly little prank. No specific sightings.
The second location on the island is Vandy’s With an Edge (Don’t you find it curious that ghost always hang out in hotels, restaurants and pubs?)
Vandy’s ghost loves to play with the lights and turn the appliances on and off, so here’s a tip for the cooks: don’t strike a match without checking to make sure all your burners were off the night before! No sightings —maybe just a disgruntled worker who can’t find their way out of the kitchen.
The most dreadful haunting of them all is not exactly on Marco; however close enough, and that is the Cracker Barrel on 951.
In the mid 1990’s, employees were found in the freezer tied and gagged with their throats slit. Their killers are fortunately on death row, however, the ghosts have not left their place of business.
Inside the cooler, the dim lights will have sudden power surges and there are strange cooling problems in the freezer. Is it really the cooling mechanism or could it be the ghosts walking by?
Lastly, they enjoy playing with the retail in the front of the store and have reportedly moved things around. No specific sighting here.
Do I believe in ghosts? As the lion says in the “Wizard of Oz”...”I do believe in ghosts, I do believe in ghosts!”
My daughter swears I have brought ghosts into our home with a few of the oriental antique pieces. She states that “we have a bunch of dead Asian guys running around the house.”
I say it’s my dad or grandparents; after all, they are helpful in assisting me with my lost keys but that’s a long story — that however still makes the hair on my arm stand up!
I can also tell you about when I was wrapping presents on Christmas Eve in our temporary rental and I felt a chill of someone standing right behind me. I still can feel that sensation of eeriness when I spun around with the scissors raised over my head ready to “off” what I thought was an intruder. No one behind me! Once again every hair on my body was standing straight up —and that is a sight if you know how much hair I have on my head!
The next day I asked my good friend Shirlee in the next rental if someone had died in our unit. It didn’t surprise me when she said “yes.” A kind old man who had died in his sleep.
So, there you have it! I’m one of the one in three —anyone want to join me?
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