The Ghost Whisperer

Who you going to call?

That's right! Who ARE you going to call when one has an encounter with a ghost, a spirit, the supernatural? I suppose if someone has never had an encounter with one of these, then it might be difficult to believe. Let me tell you about a couple of my experiences with “Casper.”

One of the theaters where I had worked was well known for its ghosts. Most workers would not work in the theater alone and most would leave around 5 p.m. unless rehearsals were in full swing. I usually worked crazy hours way into the night. That was a great time for me ‘cause no one was there to bother me – or so I thought...

This particular night I was on the second floor of the costume facility far removed from everyone or anything. My husband did not want me to work alone in this large facility so he would get comfortable in a cozy chair downstairs and sleep until I was ready to go home... usually, about 2 am.

One evening, while I was going through a section of vintage costumes looking for something from the 50s, I was mesmerized by all of the “one-of-a-kind" runway dresses that I was finding. I had struck gold as far as I was concerned, and I wasn't paying any attention to anything around me. I was happy, happy, happy!

"Jeannie!” someone said.

“Yes...?” I answered as I thought for sure that I had heard someone call my name.

“Goodness! I must have imagined that,” I thought to myself.

"Jeannie!” someone said again.

"What?!” I blurted out. “Who is that?” I asked.

Again... nothing.

“You really are tired, girl. You need to go home and rest!” I said to myself.

"Jeannie...” the voice whispered this time.

“Oh, I really must be going crazy,” I said out loud. “OK. Okay, I hear you. What do you want? I'm not scared of you so if you want to talk, we can.”

So, I carried on a conversation with “Casper.” It didn't seem like it was there to hurt me or to really scare me. Maybe no one else had actually stuck around long enough to talk.

Anyway, as the night went on, I heard from the very back of the costume facility, on the same aisle that I was working, footsteps that started running from the very back wall, passing right behind me and abruptly stopping right in front of the windows about 10 feet on the other side of me.

All this while whispering... “Jeannie...”

“Okay,” I said to myself. “That's just weird! But if you are lonely, I'm here to talk so.” So, I continue to talk to “my friend. “

When I was finished working with the costumes, I went downstairs to collect my husband and let him know I was ready to leave.

“Did you happen to hear anything or any conversation I was having?” I asked.

“No,” he said, “I was sound asleep!”

I realized that I would have had to be screaming at the top of my lungs for him to hear me from that far away.

I had a number of encounters with the “Friendly Ghost” in the theater. And, no, I was never scared and, no, I never felt threatened.

Another evening, I had a few interns working with me on a show and as usual we worked into the night. We had discussed the ghost in the theater before and they were intrigued by all of it. Some had witnessed “ghostly activities,” while others had not.

As we were leaving the theater, one of the interns pulled out a camera turned around and snapped a picture of the second story window. You might be surprised, there in the window was a figure all in white. It looked like a female. The theater was empty. And yet... they still have that picture!

Spooky, huh?

I could go on and on about the encounters that took place in this building. Can you imagine all of the characters who have passed through these theater halls and walls– all the stories THEY could tell! I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to EXPERIENCE some of them. The opportunity to TELL about some of these. After all, who said all the experiences with ghosts have to be scary?

I did get my chance to meet “Casper” and he was friendly!

~ Jeannie Joyner