Nigel the Ghost who lives in my back yard: Back when I was alive, I lost a friend. The only music I could listen to after my friend died was Jimmy Buffett. I was listening to mostly New Wave, punk, and hair bands, but Jimmy was the only one I could listen to without feeling like my head was going to explode.
Me: Wow. Nigel, I wouldn’t have guessed that.
Nigel: There is a lot you don’t know about me.
Me: Do you think…
Nigel: No, he isn’t a ghost. Jimmy Buffet isn’t a ghost. The ghost network made that fact right away.
Me: That isn’t what I was going to ask.
Nigel: Oh. What did you want to know.
Me: Do you think it would help if I brought out my copy of “Where is Joe Merchant” so you could read it? It came out in 1992. It is one of my favorite books. I know you’d like it.
Nigel: Is it funny?”
Me: Laugh out loud, blow milk out of your nose funny. Great characters too. The best.
When I see programs on TV about ghosts everyone is yelling at them in stern voices, “Who are you? Why are you here? What do you want?” If they’d just talk nicely the ghosts will be more responsive, that is if they want to talk to you. More than likely, they’ll be flipping you off, then go on about their own business in their ghost world. And yeah, I’m a Vampire so I can see them. No, I’m not always happy about that.
Some ghosts haunt. Some aren’t sure where they are. Some end up in endless cycles of hell. On the other hand, there are those who just hang out and covet the lives of the living, and hate those of us who are, well, not going to ever be ghosts.
So, if you have a ghost in your home, just talk to it. If it is one of those asshole scary ghosts don’t indulge it with your fear. Just tell it to shut up, be nice, or get the hell out of there. But you have to start the conversation because 9 times out of 10 the ghost won’t.
Now that Nigel is older, he wonders what his life would have been like if he’d still been alive. I assure him that he is doing great as a ghost. He’ll tell me something insulting, but he knows I’m right. He would have turned 64 this year. He was 26 when he was murdered. It still all feels new to him, and still strangely stings of total and complete unfairness.
Then Nigel smiled a rare smile and said, “Never look back…”
I tell him it is like time travel. He asked how. I told him that he has had the opportunity to meet people from all eras in history. He shrugged and thought about something nasty to say to me, but then admitted that I’m right on that one. That said, I wouldn’t wish being a ghost on anyone.
That’s it for now. Just a few random thoughts. Now I’ll share one of my favorite songs. Thank you Jimmy. xoxox
~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman
Vampire Maman 