Not sure in the general run of things, but in the particular, then maybe now and then. I guess this goes back many years to an old apartment and its former occupant. Five of us girls were roomies in a century home. Our apartment was huge, a part of an old mansion now sub-divided into apartments. Only there weren’t five of us in the place; there were six.

I can’t remember exactly who saw or felt what first. I am not sure if it was the man said to walk through a wall, and bear in mind the structure had been altered to make apartments from the original mansion, or whether it was the woman in the front bedroom hovering over the youngest roomie. For me it was the feeling of a persistent cold spot outside of the door of my room. And then was the strangest of the strange. All of us were really looking forward to watching a particular show on TV. I can’t now remember what it was, but there was only one TV in the lounge and that is where we were all sat, watching. I had been called just as it started and hadn’t switched off my record player. Yes, it was an old vinyl type. When the track ended the arm would swing off the record and onto the rest. Except it didn’t quite end up like that.

The program was gripping and all of us were on the edges of our seats for the duration. I vaguely recall hearing my record finish because I was grateful to concentrate fully on the show and not have the background noise irritating. Yep, lazy, I know, but I didn’t want to miss anything. Not one of us moved until the show was over and then we sat around discussing it.  And then I went back to my room and saw my record player. The arm had come to rest in the off position, as it should. However, a little plastic hook was snug over the arm to stop it jumping out of position. The little plastic hook was not attached to any power source and could not move on its own. It had to be placed over the arm manually, but no one had stirred. Not for a second. The door to the apartment was also locked and could only be opened with a key. Which only the five of us had. And we were already inside. Together.  I asked them if anyone had moved, just in case I hadn’t noticed, and the answer was no.

After this incident, two of the girls, who were Catholics, asked their priest to come bless our home. The cold spot didn’t move an inch.