As some of you may know, my family owns a condo on Jack Frost Mountain in the Poconos, which we rent out to vacationers as a little side business. We use the house ourselves a few times a year—enjoying a getaway and doing maintenance on the place, etc.
Last weekend, we drove to the mountains to ski and replace a heater in the house. When we arrived on Thursday night, my husband and daughters went out for groceries while I got our ski gear out of storage and put sheets on the beds. Alone in the house, I started hearing footsteps upstairs. I suppose it could have been the creaking of a cold house warming up — probably was — but darned if it didn’t sound like someone walking above my head. So I called out, “Hello, it’s me!” Then I turned on the radio — LOUD — to cover up noises I didn’t want to hear.
I’m not sure I believe our Pocono house is haunted, but the lady who cleans the house between rentals has told us many times that it is. “A male,” she tells us. “He’s always there, but not always in the same room. I just call out to him when I go in, tell him I’m there for the cleaning, and he doesn’t mind.”
I usually don’t hear, see, or sense anything. In fact, prior to this weekend, there was only one other time I felt like someone was there and listening. It was another winter visit to the house, a couple years ago, shortly after the housekeeper had told us about our ghost. I did what she’d said to do when we walked in the door, calling out, “Hello! It’s us!”
Not long after we got there, I realized I’d done something dumb—left the bag with all our bed sheets at home. I ransacked our storage closet, and turned up two spare sets of fitted and flat sheets but no pillow cases. So, I pulled the shams off the beds and brought them downstairs to the washer. “I’ve got sheets,” I told my husband, “but we’re hurting for pillow cases. We’ll have to use the shams.” I opened the door to the laundry machines and found a pillow case folded on top of the washer.
“Well, here’s one,” I said. “Probably left behind by a tenant.” I threw it into the washer. Then I went into my bedroom and pulled the comforter off the bed. Underneath, I found somebody had left a pillow case on one of the pillows. I brought it out to the washer. “Funny. Here’s another one.”
I went back into the bedroom to unpack. When I opened up the closet, I found two more pillow cases neatly folded and lying in a laundry basket. I showed them to Bob. “You’re kidding,” he said. “Wow.”
Please note. There are four members in my family. We were provided with exactly four unexpected pillow cases.
Hardly proof of a haunting. But still, a little strange.
Do you believe in hauntings? Ever felt a presence you could not explain? Receive an unexpected gift?
I’ve only encountered something weird once, but that was enough.
At least he’s a friendly ghost, supply you with pillowcases and everything.
Yes, but where did he come from? Why is he there? That’s what I want to know!
That’s so strange! I’ve never had anything like that happen to me, but I guess I’m the type of person to completely ignore it since that’s better then the alternative 😉
I would love to believe in a haunting. Alas, I have not been fortunate enough to experience one yet. It’s probably why I’m drawn to writing paranormal fantasy.
Weird, but very cool. The only times I’ve had “ghost” experiences, they were freaky and definitely not of the friendly variety. You’ve got a Casper in your cabin!
When you have a ghost hunting team check it out, I so want to be there. 🙂
Holy cow! I think it’s awesome that your housekeeper just tells the ghost that she’s there to clean. “He doesn’t mind.” I love that!!
I definitely think your house is haunted, for the record and all that… 🙂
My son lost one of our house keys in a field – two weeks later, in the same field, he found it. Not quite the same, but a little weird nonetheless.
I’d love a laundry ghost!
That is weird, but what a nice surprise to find the number of pillowcases that you needed.
I can’t/won’t explain, but let’s just say enough weird stuff has happened in my life that things like this don’t even bother or surprise me anymore. ^_^
Nope, no ghost experiences here – which is fine with me. So nice that you have such a helpful one. A ‘rent-a-ghost’ idea comes to mind 😉
Great story! The kitchen of our flat is always making noise, especially when we’re sitting in the living room. There are cracks, clicks, and thumps, and sometimes things fall on the floor by themselves. My hubby always looks at me wide-eyed, and I say, “Ghosties,” in my creepiest voice. I think he believes it. Heh heh.
Now, that’s what I call a helpful ghost!
Yes, I’ve had several encounters with ghosts, and they’ve always been positive ones. Like after the death of my best friend’s husband. Actually, the four of us… she and her husband, Smarticus and me, were about as close as two couples can be. A couple weeks after he died, my friend was here at the house, and she, Smarticus and I were shooting pool. She and I were sitting on the step, with our backs to the kitchen, watching my hubby shoot. At the same time, she and I turned around to look behind us, because we both felt a comforting hand clasp our shoulder. We have no doubts as to who it was.
I love a ghost story. It sounds like you have a friendly one (good thing!). He must like you if he came up with four pillowcases for you. Pretty awesome. Maybe you can work it into a story someday… 🙂
Wow, that is kinda creepy. I’d be so scared if I heard footsteps in the house. Good thing it’s a friendly ghost who doesn’t bother the people he knows. I’m not sure I’d want to sleep in there anyway.
I think I do believe in hauntings.
Let us know if there’s ever anything else happening. Your cleaning lady is amazing though for not being scared but just telling him it’s her cleaning.
Wish you a very happy Sunday!
I’ve never had a ghostly experience myself, but I’ve talked to many–quite rational–people who have, so I’m a believer.
One final thing: could you send the laundry ghost my way? I’m in dire need of help in the (overflowing) laundry department.