Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Theme Thursday

Of course the week before Halloween today's theme is, you guessed it, Halloween. For more Theme Thursday participants be sure to go here.

Although this isn't particularly about Halloween, it is a little creepy, so I thought I'd share it with you tonight. As I'm sure I mentioned at one time or another, I had a boyfriend that I totally loved. Seriously, I thought we were going to get married. We didn't. But that's another story. My point is that I loved his family. I considered his parents as my own. Not that my parents weren't enough, they definitely were, but I loved his parents as well.

This boy (because surely that's what he was at the time) and I broke up... or rather he dumped me, but I'm sure I was a major part of the problem ( I had issues). But I never stopped loving his parents. A few years went by, I had moved to Reno and had just given birth to my second child. I called this boy (who was by this time a man), because we still talked occasionally. He told me his father just died. In fact I had called on the day of the funeral. I was shocked. I was heart broken. I was 1500 miles away with a new baby, a two year old,  a good-for-nothing husband, and I couldn't make it to the funeral. Honestly I was devastated. I always wondered if I had made it to that funeral would things have turned out differently with us. Probably not, but that's where my mind was.

Anyway, over the next few days I was just crushed at not being able to be with this boy, or his mother, in their time of need. My then-husband and I were fighting (as usual) one night, I don't even remember what it was about. I got out of bed and went into my daughters bed to sleep with her. I was curled up on my right side facing the wall, with my back to the bedroom door.

A few minutes later I heard my husband come in the room. He stood over me for a minute or so, then put his hand on my left shoulder and squeezed it lovingly. I figured he was trying to make up since he was such an ass. I took my right hand and placed it on top of his (which was still on my shoulder). I felt the wiry little hairs beneath my palm. I felt the cold hard metal of his ring. I squeezed back in acknowledgment. Only then did I turn to look at the hand I was holding.

It was not my husbands hand.

I could see the Ole Miss class ring clearly, the ruby red gem in the center glinting from the light in the hall. I was holding the hand of my ex-boyfriends dead father.

I sat up with disbelief, but he was gone. He had always said he hoped we would stay together, and I think he knew how desperately I wished I could tell him a proper goodbye. I never saw Mr Jim again after that night, but sometimes I still think about him. I'd want him to know that even tho things didn't turn out as I planned, they turned out the way they were supposed to, and that is always okay.

Happy Halloween

26 comments:

Barb said...

You never told me that story! Spooky.

Matty said...

Wow. All I can say is wow.

An Open Heart said...

I Love Ghost stories......!after my grandmother died I would go into her room and seriously, either she was still there, or someone else was visiting because the hair on the back of my neck would stand up.....

Happy Halloweenie.....

S

JW.BW said...

Great story. I am sure he was just trying to comfort you. He must know u are fine now, which is probably y u havent seen him again.

Brian Miller said...

eww...you were holding a dead guys hand? i agree with jwbw...great take on the theme. def spooky!

McGillicutty said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
McGillicutty said...

Girl....You are nuts!!! LOL.

McGillicutty said...

my first comment had to be deleted because it actually said...Girl YOUR nuts!!! hahahahahahaa... I have the giggles now!!! :)

Tess Kincaid said...

Spooooky!! And so poignant, as well. I had a simliar experience loving the parents of my ex-boyfriend, so I could especially relate.

Unknown said...

Wonderful, bittersweet story. I agree with JW.BW that he knows now you're well and safe.

Loredana said...

That was great! It's wonderful to go through something like this. Because it wasn't spooky or scary but it was needed. You needed to feel that and in a way say your proper goodbyes.

Wings1295 said...

Creepy tale indeed!

Jay said...

That really isn't spooky or creepy at to me. When I was a little kid I had a conversation with my mother's father who died 10 years before I was born.

I don't remember it, but my mother remembers me asking her about some stuff and her asking me where I heard that and I said "Grandpa Johnny and I were talking last night."

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

What a way to say "good-bye" to someone! Well told!

Indiri Wood said...

I'm still good friends with an ex from 15 years ago and I went to his dad's funeral a couple months ago. Glad I did. :)

Though it isn't really a menacing kind of ghost so I suppose that would be okay.

Green-Eyed Momster said...

Most people would think that something like this would be scary for you but I'll bet in a way it was comforting to you. Thanks for sharing this with me.
Hugs!!

Ronda Laveen said...

Mr. Jim did know that things turned out as they were supposed to. He know how much it meant for you to know that you had been there for him. He honored you that night. Beautiful story!

Stacy Uncorked said...

Very cool that you were able to be comforted like that. :)

Mike said...

Whoa! Bambi, you are a good story teller!!!! Being true really makes this spooky!

Meredith said...

Definitely worthy of the Halloween theme! You gave me chills. :)

Alicia @ boylerpf said...

OMG...I have goose bumps! I would be so totally freaked out if that happened to me! What a neat story though ;)

Hit 40 said...

Excellent story. And you know that I believe in sprits. I have never seen a ghost...

they just like to pick on me.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

This is the best TT I've read yet because it was real and not imaginary! Glad you both had a chance to say goodbye, even if it was in such an unconventional way.

The Silver Fox said...

I can think of a few people whom I wish would visit me that way. Consider yourself lucky, if you don't already... But I assume you do.

julochka said...

wow! how deliciously spooky.

my only ghost experience was a very vivid dream of baking together with my grandmother one last time that i feel certain was her goodbye to me.

amazing that you were tuned in to that.

NoMoSlackMo said...

This is Melissa @ Mommy is in the bathroom, but I'm signed into the NoMoSlackMo account, sorry.

Wow! Dude, I did a whole series of my ghostly encounters back in October. I usually hear dead people, I saw one.. my moms friend.. I can't believe you actually felt him! Like his ring and hand and stuff. Did you freak out but then immediately feel calm till after he left?

Crazy!!