Many of you who know me offline probably have heard me talk about life with Bob. I think this story is worth hearing again and sharing with those who I've yet to tell. Three years ago this month. Brian and I moved into this house. I grew up within 5 miles from here and this lil town in which I now live(which shall remain nameless since we have had so much trouble with thrill seeking vandals already) was urban legend when I was a kid. It's more a neighborhood than an actual town. It was founded in the 1890's as a lumber mill town and there was once a general store, a tavern, etc which are now ruins which you can still go and visit. All that's left from the "town" is the old school house which has been converted into a residential home (mini-mansion).

We did a lot of research when first moving here because of town being so old and secluded. There is suppose to be an old deserted ghost town a few miles into the woods which was closer to the mill. We tried to gather as much info as we could and found that most of the houses of this part of the original town burned down in a devastating fire in 1913 if I remember correctly. The house that we live in is back off the main road and is one of the few original houses built in the 1890's the rest of the town was rebuilt after the fire.

So due to the age of this house I was not surprised when I noticed strange activity almost as soon as we moved in. I have always been sensitive to energies and have had spirits in my life for as long as I can remember. One in particular that we nicknamed "mischief" who followed me and protected me throughout my childhood... but that is a tale for another time. This is Bob's story.

The first day we moved in was chaos. We had all the friends and family help us move our stuff in. Must have looked like the circus was coming to town with as many vans and trailers that rolled through this quiet little area en route to our new place. After all was unloaded and congrats were given they all left us to unpack. Brian and I did a little unpacking than decided we would go out for a celebratory dinner (we couldn't find the dishes anyhow). I remember distinctly shutting off all the lights because I had B hold the front door open so I didn't have to make my way in the dark. We walked out into the yard with our backs to the house to admire the view. We really wanted this place for the yard. We are nature lovers and this house is pretty isolated in the back of town and the last house before miles and miles of woods.

We stared in awe for a few minutes then turned to go to the car and noticed immediately that the light in the bedroom was now on. The windows glowed like a beacon in the dusky evening and we shared a baffled look between us then stared back at the house. So.... who gets to go back in the dark house to turn off that bedroom light? We chuckled nervously and agreed we'd leave it till we got home.

Later on that night we were getting ready for bed. Easier said than done when everything you own is in boxes that all look alike (note to self... always label boxes before taping them up). I was becoming a little uneasy the longer we were in the house. I was suppose to change to get ready for bed but I was disturbingly embarrassed. I kept feeling like someone was watching me. B kept hinted we should "break in" the new house but I just couldn't do it. Not that night anyway. I'm no prude but I'm not exactly an exhibitionist either. I just couldn't shake the uneasy feeling of being watched.

On the way to bed I was again turning off the lights. I went into the den and attempted to hit the switch, I missed. I didn't even touch it. I was reaching out to switch it off and the switch just flicked itself off as if an invisible finger had flipped it. I decided to ponder it another day cause I was uneasy enough already.

I mentioned my suspicions to B the next day but he is more of a skeptic. He had not seen or felt anything unusual and he thought I was just jumping at shadows. Old wiring and drafts and such. For the next 2 days I continued to feel watched. I heard the floor boards creak in the rhythm of footsteps and I would catch a shadow hovering at the edge of my vision which would quickly move out of sight if I tried to turn my head and see it head on.

On the third night I was in the kitchen making a late dinner and B came in with his remote control car to keep me company while I cooked. Our kitchen and dining area are combined and we had not yet got a table so there was a nice big open space to drive his car (keep me company my ass). He was cruising it around the kitchen for a minute when I caught my attention.

"Uh, babe.... some thing's up with my car...."

I turned around and the car was doing tight little cookies in the middle of the floor. He was holding the control loosely at his side apparently not steering. I just watched for a minute then I gave him a little shove and didn't think much of it at first. B's kind of a prankster so I figured he was just messing with me.

"You rigged it some how," I said.

"No... I didn't. Here...." he said, and handed me the remote. I started to drive it and it went where I wanted it to for a few seconds then it veered off and started driving in a different direction. I stood there slack jawed and watched it cruise around the kitchen for another 30 seconds or so then it took a turn to sharply and rammed into a cupboard head on.

B and I glanced at each other, then the car REVERSED and cruised out to the middle of the floor and started doing the cookies again. He snatched it up off the floor and started examining the car, checking the batteries and such. Still looking for a logical reason. He thought maybe the little boys who lived next door might have been playing with their RC car or something and the radio waves might be getting crossed. I highly doubt that theory as it was after 1:30am and those boys were only 6 and 4 years old.

We set the car back down and waited but the show appeared to be over for the night. A few days later I invited by sister and her BF and our cousin over for a big demonstration. I had told them what had happened and told them they had to check it out for themselves. I dimmed the lights and we all gathered in the kitchen. I had B bring in the car, it was all done very theatrically thinking back on it. He set the car down in the center of the room and we all held our breaths. We waited. The anticipation built....and we waited. This went on for several minutes before we gave up. Apparently our ghost was not a performing monkey.

For the next few weeks I continued to get strange vibes and see this shadow out of the corner of my eye. Some of the rings of the shower curtain would rattle back and forth like someone was flicking them while I would be taking a shower. The thumping of what sounded like boot steps on the porch and through the living room, mostly when I was home alone. Brian had decided the RC car was an electrical fluke and I was just being paranoid.

Finally one day my little brother had come over for dinner and a visit. He was 15 at the time and was a stomach on feet. I was standing in the kitchen stirring a large pot of spaghetti when the shadow slinked into my peripheral vision. I knew if I moved he would move away to quickly for me to see so I calmly stood stirring the noodles and taking his in out of the corner of my eye. He was like a shadow of a tall, lanky man or boy. He was most definitely male. It looked as though he was leaning against the counter watching me cook. I sensed no malice from him.

Right about then my brother came into the kitchen. He zeroed in on the food on the stove and walked straight up beside me and stared into the pot as though willing it to cook faster. "Is it done yet?" he whined.

I did not move, I saw the shadow take a step that appeared as if he was heading around behind us. It seemed he would continue on past us into the living room. Shortly after he had past out of my sight my brother whipped around and shouted "BOO!"...."WTF!" ....He told me he thought B was trying to sneak up behind him to try and scare him so he had tried to scare him first. But when he turned around there was nobody there. He got a pretty creeped out and decided to wait for the food in the other room. Finally someone else had seen him though....

For the first few months we had lots of activity, I got tired of referring to him as the spirit or the ghost. As we were sharing the house I felt he deserved a name. I decided to call him Bob. Some visitors have asked me if I plan to have someone come out and cleanse the house and flush him out. My answer has always been that Bob and I are cool. It was his house first and we have chosen to co-exist. Ever since I gave him a name the activity has mellowed greatly. As if, like most of us he only wanted to be acknowledged... I am here.

We have done a lot of research in the 3 years that we have lived here and are pretty sure we have learned who Bob was in life and possibly why he lingers here. But I think I will save that story for another time.

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