I Always Wanted a Ghost

 

 

The Ghost and Mrs Muir

Some people are afraid of ghosts, but I always wanted a ghost of my own.

On television there was Captain Daniel Gregg (Edward Mulhare) as the ghost in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (Hope Lange). Wouldn’t a handsome, rugged ghost like the Captain be a wonderful ghost to live with.  Sure he could be gruff, and do all the ghostly things like float objects, walk through walls, and even seemed to be able to make his displeasure felt with wind and rain, thunder and lightening.  The Captain, unwilling to let go of his earthly home, tried his best to protect his domain from mortals.

Then there is Sally Malik (Meaghan Rath) on Being Human who is the best friend, living or dead, that a person could have.  In the beginning, Sally knows nothing about being a ghost.  Sally can’t move objects, can’t be seen by the living, and is doomed to stay in the home where she was killed, with no way of communicating with the tangible world.  She is tethered to her home, and can’t leave, until a friendly undead helps her learn the ropes. Sally makes a few mistakes and does cause some harm, but she more than redeems herself.  

Bottom line, I’m not afraid of ghosts.  Sure, maybe there would be some bad ones, but ghosts were people once.  I figure the most likely ghost to want to be around me would be my sister Karen Schapiro.  Karen was a budding writer when she died, unpublished and unknown.  With a notebook, Karen was just beginning her journey.  A teacher said she showed promise, and then she was killed by a drunk driver while walking along a road in the early morning hours.  Karen was 21 years old, and I was 24 years old.

I’ve seen no evidence of a haunting, but I still talk to Karen as if she is here with me, as I talk to my parents.  I keep writing to carry on her dream.

If I knew her ghost was with me, maybe I wouldn’t feel this hole in my heart that never heals. If I knew her ghost was with me, maybe I would never feel the aching loneliness again.  If I knew her ghost was with me, then I would know that all those I’ve loved who have gone into the unknown are also still with me.

But I don’t know.  When I talk to her there is no answer.

Is it really too much to ask for one little ghost?