Saturday, July 19, 2008

I can see you - can you see me?

This weeks prompt on Sunday Scribblings is Ghosts
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I don’t understand why we get such a bad press. We didn’t choose to become ghosts. One minute we were alive in our earthly bodies, and the next we became a sort of weightless vapour. I thought I was dreaming so I tried pinching myself, but there was nothing to pinch. I found it quite amusing at first, but when I suddenly got an itch I was nearly driven mad by not being able to scratch it! See, it’s not all fun.

I have to admit, I didn’t believe in ghosts when I was earthly being. After all, I’d never seen one. I do remember once being a little alarmed when some wine glasses flew off a shelf soon after I took over my pub. The old locals all said the same thing. ‘That’s John’ they said. John was my predecessor at the pub and he died behind the bar the day before he was due to retire. They told me he was making it known that this was still his pub, and he was upset at some of the changes I had made. I laughed it off, even after it had happened several times. The funny thing is we are like best mates now! He still laughs at my efforts to remain unfazed! And we both have a laugh at the expense of some of our old customers!

I float back there sometimes, and I do manage to communicate with one or two of my old customers. The new landlord, just like me, refuses to believe in ghosts. The funny thing is though, he has actually seen me without realising it. I know, because one evening I was hovering over Ginger Dick’s head. Now he has been known to ignore the law that forbids smoking in pubs, but on the night in question he was completely innocent. But the landlord yelled at him to put his cigarette out! He said he could see a cloud of smoke above Dick’s head!!

I’ll tell you what the most frustrating thing is. Only some people can actually see us. And no matter how loudly we rattle and bang, very few people can even hear us. There are several people I would love to scare the pants off, but I can’t seem to anything to attract their attention.
.Now this will probably surprise you, but even we ghosts get scared sometimes. Yes, really! For instance, get anywhere near an extractor fan and you get sucked in and blown out again at a hell of a rate of knots! It happened to me the other day and I lost a bit of myself. I found it eventually but it was frightening at the time.

So, if you can read this, you must be a believer. You may say you are not, in which case I am communicating with your subconscious. Whatever, it’s been good to see you - I just hope you’ve seen me!
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25 comments:

  1. This is just brilliant! I love it so much! Especially like how you have given the ghost some special, unique problems.

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  2. I have seen you!
    In the liquor cabinet!

    Great work Keith!

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  3. I love the image of the ghost and the extractor fan. Loved the whole thing, actually.

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  4. so that explains all the smoke!

    I really enjoyed this, very engaging voice you gave the ghost...

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  5. What a fun piece - I never thought of a ghost with an itch they can't scratch or a justifiable fear of extractor fans.

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  6. Love the first person approach you took with this! You ghost is just so human!

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  7. Writing yourself as the ghost is just so bloody Brilliant Mr. Keith! Love the story and the humor.
    who is ginger Dick?? ( I become very immature with that word, you know?)

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  8. So I'm reading this rant by a ghost. No, I haven't seen you, so, according to you, you must be communicating with my subconscious. Why is it, then, that I still don't believe in ghosts?

    A brilliant piece of ghost-writing!

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  9. i loved this - a ghost with his own ididsynchracies and a sense of humor!!!

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  10. I didn't see you but I did feel you!
    You made me smile!

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  11. I just loved this :)...great

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  12. Very fun! So creative to write from the ghost's point of view.

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  13. Was that you coming out of the bathroom the other night when my son came out? I always blamed it on obnoxious smells but it's ghost!!!!

    Y'all are rather green looking if you ask me.

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  14. you are a great ghost writer...

    that was indeed a nice take on the prompt...loved it...

    now..."BOO'!!! i'm busy...:)

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  15. Very creative Kieth! I've enjoyed my visit with the other side. ;)

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  16. AH!! I'm still scared! I'm such a fraidycat! Yet I loved this!
    Cheers!
    I'll be back!! :)

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  17. That ghost has quite a personality! Sounds like he haunts some fun places.

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  18. Nice quirky story about ghosts with a strong "I" voice. This was a fun read and could be the start of a longer story. I really like the persona of the storyteller-ghost!

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  19. Keith,

    You're a great story teller with great stories to tell. You easily hold your readers' attention with your style of writing combined with your child-like crative imagination and topping it all with your wit and infectious humour.

    I wish you well.

    ~ Jeques

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  20. Your comment “I was that ghost!” got me, and I was thrilled with what I found here. Indeed a brilliant barrage of quick-witted, easy fun! I guess I haven’t seen you ‘cause you’re a pseudo-ghost now ;-) but you’ve got me ready to look more closely around pubs, and other places rich with character, for old proprietor ghosts! I love the idea of it :-) You’re a clever guy, Mr. Hillman!

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  21. This was way too cool! I totally loved it:) such a cool take on ghosts!

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  22. Wow what a great story and very believable.....(walks into the room)...What's the number of ghostbusters...Quick

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  23. So ghostly good. You did a fabulous job. I can see you!
    -Mya

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  24. The extractor fan made me laugh out loud. What a great ghost story. You could start a whole new genre.

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  25. Oh Kieth - you are so creative! This is just a barrel full of fun - I absolutely love it!

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