Ghost Stories & Paranormal Encounters

I did not believe in ghosts when I moved my family into the brown rented house in Ironton, Ohio in 1975, but I would come to believe!

On the very first day and night there, I felt something strange lurking in the house, especially near and in the linen closet.  I felt cold, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.  I also, felt a chill when I walked up and down the stairs, or when I was near the record player.

At first I shrugged it off as being just a draft from the door or window, but when it became too strong to deny, even though I still had my doubts, I decided to believe that there really was something there, and “talk” to whatever it was. I made a pact with the “ghost” and told it that I would keep the linen door open at night and play the record player often only if it would not show itself to my children or scare them. I kept my part of the bargain, and opened the closet door every evening so it could roam around the house, and do whatever ghosts do. I played country songs on the record player every day. My children never saw or felt anything strange or scary in the house,and neither did the babysitter, or any one else who came into the house.

This went on for a month or so, and then I learned from a neighbor that a senile old man had been shut up in the linen closet by his son, so he would not have to deal with him.  One day the old man escaped his prison and the son was so mad that he pushed him and the old man fell down the stairs, which killed him.  The neighbor said that there had been tales of the old man haunting the house we now lived in, but she had never seen anything herself.

It was a sad story, but now knew what I had been feeling. It was the ghost of the old man who liked to roam up and down the stairs at night, stay in the linen closet, and listen to music on the record player.

Then one day I had to get a new babysitter, for my old one was busy. I did not know the new girl very well, but she did have good references.

So, I went off to work thinking that all would be well at home, but when I returned home I found the babysitter on the porch, crying and shaking. She was babbling something about seeing a ghost.

She told me that when the children were asleep, she had left the house to meet her boyfriend and was gone for about 15 minutes.  When she returned, she said that a ghost appeared to her, was mad at her for leaving the children alone, and chased her out of the house and onto the porch. It scared the daylights out of her.

After she calmed down and I scolded her too, for leaving the children alone, I sent her on her way. I checked on the children and they were just fine, sleeping like little lambs. I opened the linen closet and said “Thank you” to the ghost for watching over my children, and I never closed the linen closet door again.

Sent in by L. J.  Richard, Copyright 2009 TrueGhostTales.com