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My Latest Apartment

 

This story is the reason I was prompted to register on this website - I've wanted to share this continual experience with my friends and family, but the teasing would be ceaseless - they refer to me as the "silly hippie" and would chalk it up to my adamant belief in energies and write it off as more of my "hippie garbage." Well, it's not. And I'm so tickled to finally be able to share!

In January of 2012, I moved back to Western New York from Boston. It was an unusually warm winter, especially for the Snow Belt, and so this move wound up being the smoothest, most pleasant, easy move I have ever had. The apartment is a nice one bedroom in the heart of the Park Ave district, where most of the houses were built in the mid-to-late 1800's. There are two doors to the outside, one bedroom, a small kitchen, a full bath, a small "studio" space, and a very large living room - and two huge walk in closets. The house is a typical Victorian, making use of all the nooks and crannies, and replete with original leaded windows in the living room. I have a six year old cat, Jezz, whom I bottle-fed when she was a tiny kitten and as a result, she is my super-best-bud. She plays a huge role in this tale.

I'm the sort of person that needs things "just so" in my home, and I was also anxious to create a familiar atmosphere for my cat. I figured it would be less stressful to come into a new atmosphere with "her things" laid out proper, rather than to have me blundering about putting things in order and making a racket. So, after my helpers and I got all my things inside, I was left alone to unpack with a mighty gusto. My boxes were hastily packed from when I left Massachusetts so my undies were with my spoons and my jewelry was with my soap, etc. As a result, there was a lot of scratching of the head, trying to remember where I put things. I settled my oil paints into their "place", and had paused to recall which box held my paint brushes when, a split second later, I heard a box shift and tumble in the kitchen. My helpers and I had been careful not to place boxes in a way they would be prone to tipping, and anyway, the sound was too soft for a fall. My immediate thought was "Ugh! Rats!" But as I rushed into the kitchen, I couldn't believe it!

A box lay towards the middle of the kitchen floor, well away from the other boxes, and its contents were poking out - old stuffed animals (yes, a 26-year-old still needs her binkies), wool socks, and my paint brushes and pallets! I couldn't believe it. The sound the box had made wasn't a crash, it was kind of a gentle tipping sound - like someone had lifted the box, sat it on the floor, and then carefully turned it onto its side hard enough to make some contents tumble out, but still gentle enough that my glass pallets were all intact. I was stunned but uttered a meek "Thank you..." picked up the box, and went about my unpacking, turning the music up a little bit louder, and paying more attention to my atmosphere. Like I said, I'm a huge believer in energy, and I thank the Universe frequently for little uncanny occurrences, but I hadn't had anything quite so uncanny happen before. The atmosphere felt neutral, if not very quiet, peaceable, and calm. I continued to get my apartment settled without any further incident, working well into the morning. This was Monday.

By Tuesday dinner time, my apartment was set up, everything was put away, cleaned, boxes were taken to recycling, etc. After meeting with my landlord to go over the damages I had noticed during the move-in process (including - important - the "arm" on the storm door), I went for dinner at my parents' and to pick up Miss Jezz. My parents hooked me up with some leftovers (by leftovers, I mean they sent me home with two tote bags full of food), and so when I went back to my apartment, I had to make two trips for the food and the kitty. I first brought in the food, and left the heavy wooden door open on my way back out to gather kitty, letting the storm door close behind me. I heard and saw the storm door clatter shut as I walked down the porch back to my car - it is not a quiet door, as the "arm" is broken, so its natural tendency is to slam.

I gathered my kitty and other miscellaneous things (my hands were full), and came back up the porch - the storm door was wide open, as if someone were holding it for me. It wasn't windy at ALL that day - it was actually warm, overcast, and a little drizzly, but absolutely not a single breath of wind! I was so shocked that I almost dropped the cat carrier. I felt Jezz shift in her carrier, when she usually sits very still in her carrier and watches the activity outside. I heard her sniffing the air frantically, but no hisses and no growls which she will usually omit if she doesn't like something. She then started to purr, which was even MORE bizarre, but I took it as a good sign. I passed through the open doorway and said "Thank you" again to my invisible helper, shut the wooden door, and went about the task of introducing kitty to her new home. I did not hear the storm door close, but when I peeked outside later on, it was shut again.

Nothing too spectacular or out-of-this-world has happened since those two incidents, except that Jezz developed the habit of sitting in the doorway to the living room and staring at something in the corner by the front door (which I don't use). She will sit in the doorway for extended periods of time, swishing her tail, seeming to watch something that intrigues her - not even my cooking something delicious and cat-friendly will attract her attention. She's THAT mesmerized. I have gone over to ask her what's up, and she'll look up at me, softly "Mreow", and then go back staring. Not typical behavior for a kitty that is both vocal and rambunctious. When I spend time in the living room, Jezz will "sausage" herself plop in the middle of the floor and purr like a maniac - regardless of whether any person is near her. She also will not go beyond the doorway to this room without me.

In addition to kitty falling in love with the living room doorway, things will go missing and show up in unlikely places. I run a jewelry/craft business, and a lot of time when I'm working late into the night, kitty will come for attention. I'll stop what I'm doing, lay down my tools, and play with her for a little bit. Once she has had her fill and gone off in pursuit of her kitty mischief, I will turn back to my task only to discover my pliers, wire cutters, scissors, etc are missing! It will always be a tool that I need in order to finish whatever piece I'm working on. Sometimes, it will be the unfinished item itself. I have learned to simply tidy up the "studio" and settle in for sleep because I never find the missing item that evening. It appears the next morning, or a few days later, in obscure spots - on the back of the toilet, for example; or inside the window - you know, between the screen and the glass. I've found my car keys in my bed - tucked underneath a pillow. I'm messy, but I am not THAT messy!

Whatever it is, I think it's playful and helpful at the same time. I have never felt like I couldn't, or shouldn't, be in my apartment and I've never felt like Miss Jezz isn't safe. I burn sage and dragons blood, practice yoga, have a good understanding of stones and crystals, and am an all around energy-oriented woman. I believe the energy we exude is the type of energy we will attract; I believe that whatever is in my apartment sensed my nature when I was moving in, and decided to be helpful. I think if it were ill-intending, Jezz would sense so and definitely let me know. Thank you for taking the time to read, and I appreciate any input that can be given.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, reddysteady, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

reddysteady (5 stories) (95 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-08)
So, because I don't feel like writing up a little blurb and submitting it as a story, I'll just add my most recent 'big' occurance here:

Yesterday morning, I ran out of shampoo in the shower. I keep my extra toiletries in the closet in the hallway, directly outside of the bathroom. I was in a bit of a rush to get to work, so I did not switch the empty with the new, I just took the empty to my recycling bin and figured I'd remember to put a new one in the shower for this morning. Well, the day wound up being hectic and I forgot to replace my shampoo.

I'm in the shower this morning, scrubbing my face, when I think, "Oh, fiddlesticks, I forgot my 'poo." So I wash off the facescrub and get ready to drip my way across the bathroom to the closet, and when I pull back the shower curtain to get out, there's my new bottle of shampoo sitting on the lip of the tub. Just chillin'. No way was it there when I got in, and no way did Jezz put it there either 😜

Apparently my friend appreciates a clean head of hair, also! 😆
Aishling (1 stories) (35 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-06)
Great story really nicely written! Cats are the best judges of character and it sounds like you and your kitty have made a new friend! Seeing as your ghost seems pretty helpful you could request some help in finding out who it is. You never know you could find a web page about them open some day or find a newspaper clipping that wasn't there before 😁
GabrielladeLioncourt (5 stories) (71 posts)
 
12 years ago (2012-08-04)
Yes, I think a good medium could help you out through alot! He can help you figure out or understand what is going on. Some of them could even come in contact with the spirit world, so he could maybe also figure out who is the presence in your house and so on.

So if you ever come across a disturbing or traumatizing experience or the ocurences are getting out of control I think a medium would be the best bet! Because they also know a whole bunch of diferent ways of getting rid of unwanted entities, such as cleansing.

Please do keep us updated if anything else happens 😊
galleygal (3 stories) (150 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-02)
Welcome back to WNY! This past winter was way mild, there is no way a wind held the door for you 😊.

I hope you and Miss Jezz have continued comfort and happiness!
reddysteady (5 stories) (95 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-02)
Rozo - Thank you very much! So grateful that you were able to receive positives through my story. What a beautiful thing to hear. Err... Read 😆

Gabriel - A medium? I hadn't actually thought of that... Thank you!

Jav - First off, that story was beautiful! I got halfway through and immediately added it to my favorites. What a snarky young man, and a wonderfully accepting family. I hate to stereotype, but my feeling is that much of Louisiana is very accepting of spiritual encounters, so I am not surprised at all that the family reacts in a "Oh, that's just Earl" kind of way. Such a sweet story - thank you!
And to your second comment - I was a little startled to have the door held open, but more curious than afraid. In hindsight, I definitely agree - it was a very kind, sweet, welcoming gesutre. And to think, I'm just used to being welcomed to my new homes by noisy neighbors and others peoples mail 😉 Thank you very much for your kind words!

Isandhu - See, now you and Gabriel have me thinking. And if I were to invite a medium into my home, I believe I would take your approach. I'm curious who my "room mate" is, and why s/he is still there, yet I feel nothing but a peaceable, friendly calm. I do have a friend visiting in a few weeks who is highly sensitive to energies as well, so perhaps she will bring it up ^-^

Valentine19 - If you want a friendly, happy kitty, bottle-feeding is the only way! A lot of people shy away from the responsibilities of adopting the bitty kitties, but Jezz was the runt of a barnyard cat's litter, and the Mom wasn't feeding her. Kitty-karma - "you helped me grow big and purrfect, so now I will love you forever!" They make the super-best-buds. Thank you much!

Shellzy - I definitely believe cats are more sensitive to energy than we are, warding us away from that which may-or-may-not-be apparently negative or "evil." She's quite the "people-detector" in that sense, and is also leary of the formal rooms in my parents house - maybe I'll write about the ol' homestead at a later time. Thank you!

Ashville - Thank you very much! We've been in this apartment for six months now, and all is quirky and well with our unseen room mate. Love and light 😊
ashville (3 stories) (42 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-02)
What an awesome story and well written! Such a nice read. Your kitty sounds adorable too. Hope you have a happy stay in your new apartment. So very true what you say about the energies. What you give is what you get*
shellzy (8 stories) (218 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-02)
reddysteady

Im a cat lover too and your kitty sounds like a mischevious little bundle! I think animals are great at judging what we can't see and will generally let us know if it is good or bad. The fact that your kitty is happy and content is a great sign that your visitor means you no harm. It sounds like a playful spirit perhaps just wanting to get your attention by hiding and moving things.

Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed this! 😊
Javelina (4 stories) (3749 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-02)
Red,
How refreshing!
It's obvious you know quite a bit about energies and how our interaction in an environment that has a spiritual influence can either make or break a living situation. Honestly? I believe it was your good nature and impeccable manners that cemented the final approval you received. Having the door held open for you as you brought in your final load was, in my opinion, your formal welcome into your new home. A sweet and tender gesture to mark the occasion. ❤
Thank you for sharing.

Jav
Valentine19 (3 stories) (11 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
I loved this story, especially you mentioning bottle-feeding miss jezz. I have hand reared a lot of kittens and it is so rewarding even as they get older:)
Strangely enough I used to have a cat that used to sit next to my front door and just stare at the wall, not really as if she was watching something moving but she used to just sit there for hours.
I also believe that cats can protect you from evil spirits so if your cat is happy I would think you have nothing to worry about, especially with her purring:)
lsandhu (2 stories) (360 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
I don't know about a seance, but if you're really curious, you might consider discreetly inviting a reputable medium to your home. Not for anything formal, but just have a cup of coffee and a nice chat about the weather or whatever and later on you can see if he or she got any impressions about your helper. On the other hand, from the sound of it there's absolutely no reason to be afraid so I wouldn't blame you if you just wanted to leave well enough alone. Sounds like whatever or whoever this is, they like cats and have no problem with you living there. They may be lonely and just want to make their presence known and have a little fun moving things around from time to time.
Javelina (4 stories) (3749 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
Hey Red!
So you finally got your submissions in. Before I start reading I wanted to turn you onto something I think you will enjoy. I noticed that you have been going back to read some of the older stories and I thought this one would be a good fit for you. Do you remember the movie version of 'To Kill A Mockingbird'? The woman who narrated the movie as Scout all grown up? As I was reading the story I am leaving this link to, it was her voice I kept hearing as I read along. It is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read on this site. I hope you'll give it a look.

Jav

Http://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=12008
GabrielladeLioncourt (5 stories) (71 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
If you and jezz feel safe I'm happy for you, it seems like "it" enjoys your compagny. Thats great, hopefully you 3 could live together without anything vile hapenning. 😊

But if anything does occur to you or your cat, get a medium to guide you through.

I wish you all the best ❤
Rozo (3 stories) (108 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
You go Girl! You in the right frame and space! And I too believe that good vibes being sent out ultimately bring good vibes in!
This account leaves me with a happy feel good vibe! One that I shall surely share with my friends!
Take care!
reddysteady (5 stories) (95 posts)
 
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
Rozo - Thank you very much!
I think I will leave it alone, we coexist very nicely as is and I would hate to unintentionally make it feel threatened or anxious. 😊 I am curious who it is, and why they are there, but all the same, have a whole lot of respect for the fact that it has not invaded my space at all. Thank you again!
Rozo (3 stories) (108 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
Hey Reddysteady, Awesome account of the events that have happened, enjoyed the read very much!
To me. Sounds like all well and fine in your home! Miss Jezz is happy, which can take a load off and your 'helper' seems to be trying to communicate with you a bit more by hiding and misplacing various stuff!
A suggestion- Dont know if you would be keen on doing it... But would you consider a Seance? Someone to make contact? Or probably best to leave it alone right?... I am just as curious as cat... So for me I would want to know as much as possible!
All The best Reddysteady! Look forward to more stories!
reddysteady (5 stories) (95 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
I've also tried to do research on the building, and all I found out was that it had been owned by the same family for about 100 years before it was sold to the local St. Mary's and turned into a women's half-way house in the 1960's. It was then sold again in the late 1980's and converted into six apartments. There are no records of deaths in the building or on the property - maybe someone was just *really* happy in that living room. Thank you for the kind feedback, and also for reading! 😊
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
Reddysteady, now that sounds like something that I could live with! Kitty seems pretty content... Take your cue from her. All should work out very nicely for you both!
Thank you for sharing a very enjoyable read. 😊
jerryhend1 (3 stories) (136 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2012-08-01)
I really think you have a well concept of self, and your cat sounds fine too. So good for you. All I can say is just be carefull and be alert for those small things we all know of that can change, but this does not sound like it, so best of luck to you and your kitty.

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