Do you believe in ghosts? Well, don’t worry if you don’t. I won’t make you be a believer simply to read my post. I believe. My husband does not. He says, “I believe you believe.” Good enough for me. Whether you believe or not makes no difference to me.
This is my story.
The wet road in Gettysburg.
It was a wet and dreary night as we drove into Gettysburg. Sorry. All ghost stories have to start with this line. It is like a rule or something. You can look it up in the AP handbook. Anyway, it had been a rough day on the road. We were struggling to find a reasonably priced hotel. My cousin had made arrangements for us at one hotel and on our way I spotted another hotel. I’m not sure why, perhaps a ghost was whispering sweet nothings in my ear, but I said, “Let’s check this one out.” She ran in and discovered it was $25 cheaper than the other place. We unloaded our stuff, changed and hurried back out since we had only an hour before our prearranged ghost tour was to start. The tour was average (I’m a bit of a ghost tour connoisseur). Oh and yes…I took Baby Bug. She slept peacefully through most of it while I was wearing her in the Ergo. My cousin was to go on an actual paranormal investigation with the group later so she took us back to the hotel to drop us off. The kids and I went up to the room to settle in for the night. While changing I couldn’t find my flip flops. I had taken them off right by my bed but I couldn’t find them. My cousin’s son and I searched every where in that room twice! They were nowhere to be found. I gave up and went into the bathroom to clean and make Baby Bug’s bottles and the light kept fading off. It was all pretty annoying. I jumped into bed to dream the night away.
A view of the cemetery and our hotel.
The next morning my cousin and I searched the hotel room again for my flip flops and again came up empty handed. As we left the room to go down for breakfast I turned and said, “Hi. Who ever took my flip flops if you would be return them while we are at breakfast I would really appreciate it. I really like them.” (Just realized in real life I say really way too much.) After breakfast we were packing up and suddenly my cousin said, “OMG!” My flip flops were laying right at the foot of the bed where I had originally taken them off. There is no way we would have missed them checking the room as many times as we did. As we left in the light of day I noticed our hotel was backed up right next to Evergreen Cemetery. It saw lots of action during the battle and I have no doubt many men died on the ground where we slept. Glad I didn’t know this before we slept there.
Favorite statue in the cemetery of Elizabeth Thorn. Google her. She was amazing.
Perhaps three people missed two pink flip flops in a small hotel room they searched several times, I don’t believe we did. I have been to many a Civil War battle field/monument and I have set thru a ton of presentations/movies/lectures on civil war soldiers. I know most soldiers were poor and many couldn’t afford to buy proper clothing and shoes. I have no doubt in my mind a soldier who had been walking the earth with a worn piece of leather held on with a spit and a prayer or no shoes at all decided my pink flip flops would be more comfortable. I think he enjoyed them because I believe he came home with me. I guess he decided we could share my flip flops. Such a generous ghost. No one can ever say I don’t do my part for our men in uniform.
Do you believe? Do you have a story of your own? Do you think ghosts like flip flops? Personally I would think a solider would be more into Doc Martens or Birkenstocks but what do I know.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! I tend not to believe, but just because I feel very scared by these experiences!!
Fran recently posted..The ultrasound
What an excellent story Junebug , and yes I believe.
I’m a believer! I live by the site of a colonial battle where most of the colonist living here were killed. Legend has it that so many people were killed that the small brook, which runs across the street from my house, was named Bloody Brook.
In my home, we constantly have things missing. As soon as I ask form them to be returned they are, but not always were we left them. This has happened too many times to be merely coincidence. In addition, family and friends who have visited (not knowing the history of the area or that we think we have unseen visitors) have asked us if we have a ghost because they thought they saw something move in out hallway when everyone else is in one room.
Great story! Sounds like you found a nice ghost.
Linda M. Rhinehart Neas recently posted..Wisdom Education
Oh yes I am a firm believer. And, any time I cannot find something, even in my own house I chant : “Oh g-d you devil give me back my [insert item] now!” And usually within an hour whatever was ‘missing’ will reappear.
Also, you TOTALLY had a ghost encounter @ the hotel! I’m glad you got your flip-flops back!
meleahrebeccah recently posted..Goodbye, Summer – 2012