The Train Driver

This is the second instalment in my series of supernatural occurrences. My mother, let us call her Maura, takes the lead in this story as she does in the vast majority of these tales. It is her desire that these occurrences be appropriately documented and explored before she grows old and forgets.

Let's begin...

This happening occurred in 1962, Belfast city, Northern Ireland. My mother's age at the time was eleven years.

She was walking to school one morning dressed in her first year secondary school uniform. She was walking along the street known as St James's place, the street in which she grew up. Whilst nonchalantly navigating to her school she encountered a man she was familiar with. He was a neighbour. She vaguely recalled in her own mind that his name was Mr. Hamill and his wife was close friends with her mother. More stimulating to her young mind was more the fact that he was a train driver. She observed his black trousers, dark cuffed blazer and flat cap. His official appearance sported the logo "NI Railways". That is the company title for Northern Ireland's rail service.

When the encounter ensued, Mr Hamill spoke to Maura. He stated the following: "Good Morning, do you know if Maisie is in?" Maura noted that this was an odd question as Maisie was his wife and surely if anyone was to know if she was at home or not, it would have been him? Maura told him that she really didn't know. He replied "That's grand, thanks very much." She attributed no lasting significance to this exchange and resumed her day as per usual routine.

Later that day she returned home for lunch as was the habit at her school. Conversationally, her mother asked her did she hear about a recent death in their neighbourhood. Maura responded in the negative, and her mother informed her it was Mr Hamill, who died at 4 am that morning.

Maura rightfully reasoned that this could not be true as she had met him just before 9 am that morning. However, the death report was accurate.

Maura's mother being very superstitious had her walk the two blocks to the priest's house (Father McCall-St John's Parish, Belfast) and inform him of the situation. He simply advised her to "Pray for him."