28: Ponderings
2009
Even though I didn’t know how Wes would feel about it, I pondered the idea of having a professional paranormal group come to our home to conduct an investigation. I knew these groups had more experience and better equipment than I had and thought that perhaps they could help answer some of my questions. With the World Wide Web at my fingertips, I began researching the local teams. Hoping to find a reputable group, I began familiarizing myself with each one.
The Oklahoma Paranormal Research and Investigations team, better known as OKPRI, captured my interest. This group had been investigating homes and businesses for over ten years and had been featured on several local and cable channels.
As I continued researching this group, the one thing that really got my attention was their definition of the word paranormal. They define it as “the normal not yet understood.” Having encountered so many ghosts over the years, this simple definition spoke volumes to me.
While still researching this group, Keshia called and wanted Wes and me to come and look at a house she and Stephen were thinking about buying.
Putting my research aside, we promised to meet them there. Pulling into the drive, I was already impressed. It was easy to see this house, thank goodness, was much nicer than what Wes and I had started with. Trying to take it all in, I walked around the outside first. The yard was big and it was easy to see that at one time someone had taken great pride in it.
I was a little disheartened with the inside of the house. Apparently, whoever had lived here had taken better care of the outside than they had the inside. But at least this house had running water, and the walls weren’t riddled with holes as ours had been. Listening to Keshia talk about her remodeling plans, my excitement returned.
As we continued to look around, OKPRI’s definition, the normal not yet understood, spoke to me again. This house wasn’t empty. I kept getting a prickly sensation on the back of my neck and I was sure an elderly male entity was following us around. My mind raced with questions, the most prevalent one being, Exactly how normal was it to have ghosts?
I knew Keshia had looked at this house several times before and she’d never mentioned to me that it had a ghost. While looking at the house, I could never find the time with her alone to ask her about it. The presence was strong and I kept thinking, surely she knows—she has to feel it. Preparing to leave, I had to be content with just telling her to call me later.
That evening when she called, she started the conversation by telling me they had made an offer on the house.
I knew Keshia wouldn’t be bothered by the fact I thought the house had a ghost, but I wasn’t quite sure how Stephen would feel. Since they’d already made an offer on the house, I decided to keep my thoughts to myself. After all, I wasn’t an expert and if Keshia hadn’t noticed it, maybe there hadn’t been anything to notice. I wondered if researching paranormal groups earlier that day hadn’t clouded my judgment.
We talked about the house and the improvements Keshia hoped to make. During the conversation, she kept asking me what I thought about the house. I talked about all the typical things one does when discussing purchasing a home. I mentioned the size of the house, the nice neighborhood, and how pretty the yard could be, but each point I brought up was met with her saying, “But what did you think about it?”
She obviously wanted me to say something, but I wasn’t sure exactly what. Knowing she was excited, I brought up everything, both good and bad, I could think of. We discussed wall and carpet colors, appliances, and even possible furniture arrangements. I didn’t know what else to say, so I was baffled when she asked me again what I thought about the house. Finally thinking I knew what she was getting at, I asked her if she was referring to the house, the yard, or to the ghost that came with it.
She laughed as she told me she had been wondering if I’d picked up on him.
Him, I thought. I didn’t understand how, but we’d done it again. We’d both gotten the same impression from an entity we hadn’t seen. It was definitely time to get some answers.