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Elephant

 

I have many little vignettes to submit but here is an encounter that happened about two days ago. My apologies in advance as I tend towards brevity in my accounts. Please do feel free to ask questions.

Let's begin at the beginning. I live in Wakefield, Yorkshire and in my spare time I volunteer with a homeless charity for reasons both selfish and altruistic.

About four years ago I met a homeless gentleman who everyone knew as Elephant. He gained this name through a naturally big nose that had become further enlarged due to excessive drinking. That being said he was a kind man who would look after his peers when he could. He was never aggressive or unpleasant although he'd obviously hit hard times. His common greeting to people he knew was a thumbs up and a smile and it became a fixture of life and a bright moment of your day when you received it.

Last November Elephant froze to death sleeping on the streets of Wakefield due to a concatenation of events that I shan't detail here. I certainly wasn't the only one to shed a tear over his passing.

A couple of days ago I'd been on call and was walking back through the city centre. It was a very cold night but clear. As I was approaching the doorway of the abandoned shop where Elephant had died (no, he wasn't remotely in my thoughts at the time). I saw a figure sat there, legs crossed, sleeping bag wrapped around him and the usual bags and whatnot tucked against the wall. As I glanced over he gave me a thumbs up. My eyes were already moving back to the path ahead and I then had a 'flipping heck' moment. Immediately I looked back as my thoughts and recognition of the individual 'caught up'. No one was there. No Elephant, no bags. Nothing. It was Elephant though, I'm sure of that. Body language, location, 'vibe'.

I don't know if this was residual or if Elephant just liked to check in with friends occasionally.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

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, The_Morrighan, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Rajine (14 stories) (741 posts)
 
3 years ago (2021-02-26)
It's quite a sad story about how Elephant had passed on, I believe that it could have been his spirit hanging out amongst the living for a bit.
The_Morrighan (2 stories) (44 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-01-06)
To all my friends in the US: please stay safe during this current insanity.
Blessed be.
The_Morrighan (2 stories) (44 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-01-05)
Lady-Glow,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I rather suspect that you're right about the spirits!
Morri.
The_Morrighan (2 stories) (44 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2021-01-05)
Tweed,
I'm definitely the type who functions intuitively and all I can say is thank heavens I don't have Magneto's powers (knowledge courtesy of my eldest son lol)! My home town would end up looking like one of Escher's drawings!
Morri.
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-01-05)
Morri, I've heard of the memory palace technique but I didn't know it went as far back as the Romans. (Is there anything they didn't do?)
Love the idea of a memory palace, it even sounds divine. But I'm such a dreamer, if I made a practical attempt at it I'd only go imagining wallpaper and elaborate furniture and on and on. There'd be no room for memories lol.

Maybe clumsy is the only way to describe an intuitive trait. If we're wired a certain way it's hard to put it into words. Where as the memory palace is easier to explain because it's a conscious process.
lady-glow (16 stories) (3149 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-01-05)
This is such a touching story. I'm sure that Elephant came to say goodbye and appreciated your gift to him... And possibly a living person enjoyed the spirits meant for the spirit.

Thanks for sharing this lovely experience with us.
The_Morrighan (2 stories) (44 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2021-01-04)
Tweed,
You mentioned in your reply to spiritwaiting the way that your memory works.
I just wanted to say that it's very similar to the idea of building a Memory Palace where everything that one experiences is filed away in a mental Bodleian and we almost leave breadcrumbs for ourselves to follow if we need to. Some people create one by quite literally having an entranceway, etc and walking through a series of rooms placing memories in relevant positions; it's a form of self hypnosis. Others create them intuitively, you and I for instance. I believe this practice was first recorded by the Romans. I'm explaining this incredibly clumsily but, to get to the point, I think I understand how your memory works as mine is very similar. I hope you can sort the wheat from the chaff in this ramble!
Morri.
spiritwaiting (42 stories) (843 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2021-01-02)
Morrigan,

I love this. When spirits come back just to say "Hi" or anything else. It's something that touches the heart after the initial shock.

Thank you for sharing
Spiritwaiting
The_Morrighan (2 stories) (44 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2020-12-25)
A merry Christmas and a blessed Yuletide to everyone on this site xxx
The_Morrighan (2 stories) (44 posts)
+1
3 years ago (2020-12-14)
Jubeele,
Thank you for such a beautiful and comforting comment. I actually teared up a bit reading it, in a good way.
Bright blessings.
Jubeele (25 stories) (882 posts)
+2
3 years ago (2020-12-09)
Hi Morrighan,

This was really moving. Elephant sounded like such a lovely, gentle soul. There are special people who touch our lives and brighten our days, and we feel sadly diminished when they are gone.

I think that Elephant knew of your grief and came back to comfort you. He gave you the thumbs up to reassure you that all is well with him. As long as he remains in your memory, he isn't lost to you. He's just gone ahead. For now. 😘

"Carry on my wayward son,
There'll be peace when you are done.
Lay your weary head to rest,
Don't you cry no more." - Kansas
The_Morrighan (2 stories) (44 posts)
+6
3 years ago (2020-12-03)
Hello Tweed and Bibliothecarius,

Thank you both for your responses. Elephant was a nice gentlemen in life and I think you're both right that he is in death.

Tweed, you're absolutely correct. I'm not a Christian but my Mum used to say 'there but by the grace of God go we'. It does sum it up; due to my own break up of an abusive marriage and all it entailed I ended up living rough four years ago. Thankfully only for a week but it was a harsh lesson. It's why I volunteer now.

A postscript to this narrative is that I bought a bunch of flowers and a miniature whisky yesterday and popped them in the shop front where he passed.

Blessings.
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+4
3 years ago (2020-12-03)
Greetings, Morrighan.

Tweed's reaction is right: a residual haunting would be caught up in its own affairs. Elephant interacted with *you* deliberately. My guess is that he was expressing gratitude and support for your work.

Best,
Biblio.
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+3
3 years ago (2020-12-03)
Morrighan, thank you for sharing.

It sounds like Elephant wanted you to know you're still in his thoughts and to show his gratitude from the other side. He may even be looking out for others who find themselves in similar positions.

It's hard for many to imagine but all of us are mere circumstances away from being homeless. None are immune to the possibility. I have heard it said some people are so overwhelmed for what ever reasons they simply can't pick themselves up. Or that some go through periods of flip flop, reverting back to destitution for whatever reasons. None of us can know what's behind a person.

I'd like to think Elephant finds comfort in your glimpsing him that day. Perhaps he understands that you'd be cool with him showing up like that. This doesn't sound much like a residual in my opinion. I hope he's at peace wherever he is, he sounds like a cool guy.

Thanks again for sharing.

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