It almost sounded like the phone went dead as I waited to be connected to Gary. Boy, it felt like an eternity before the operator came back on and said, “I’m sorry sir; there is no answer. You might try your call again later.” There was barely a pause before she said, “Thank you for using AT&T and have a nice day.”

There was a click and the operator was gone. I couldn’t help feeling like she had some kind of attitude. I was trying to think what to do next when the door to the pantry opened and there stood grandfather looking quite perplexed.

“What is the meaning of this? Come out of there boy! What-What!” he croaked in a frog-like voice.

Before I could explain he asked, “What on earth were you doing running around the house showing off everything God gave you?”

He didn’t even allow me to answer before almost shouting, “You gave your grandmother an awful fright! What-What!”

And grabbing me by my ear he towed me out of the kitchen, phone still in one hand while my other hand clutched my pants to keep them from falling off.

“MY EAR! MY EAR!” I shouted and not thinking, I swatted at his hand with the same hand I was holding the phone with.

It worked, he let go of my ear when the phone struck his wrist, but then his other hand came out of nowhere and connected with the right side of my face. I hadn’t seen it coming so it took me totally by surprise and honestly it didn’t hurt nearly as much as the sound of it made it seem. I also didn’t cry, I guess because I was so stunned by the slap. I think it also surprised grandfather who was looking down at me in horror. I took that opportunity to drop the phone and run for all I was worth to my room.

However, halfway up their stairs I remembered that I had thought the ghost had come into my room. I froze in mid stride, unsure if I should continue going upstairs or if I should turn around and try to get the heck out of dodge! In a split-second decision, I chose to flee to my room!

Years ago I had learned a neat trick. If you stuff the toe of a rubber soled shoe under the latch side of a door and someone tries to open it, they won’t be able to get in.

A moment after I had successfully wedged my shoe under the door I heard someone, grandfather I presumed, jiggling the doorknob from the other side.

“Young man! Unlock the door this instant!” came grandfathers irritated voice.

I didn’t reply. Instead I was trying to think of somewhere to hide in case he managed to muscle the door open and also in case the ghost was still in my bedroom.

“Under the bed!” I first said and then immediately countered with, “Not on your life, Alvin!” as I remembered that under the bed is where ghosts and monsters usually prefer to hide. I could have hid in the bathroom, but that would have been too easy a place to be found. I mean what was I going to do? Hide inside the toilet bowl? Yeah right!

With no other choice I dove for the far side of the armoire and crouched down. I wasn’t really hidden, but it was the best that I could hope for.

Grandfather didn’t force his way into the room. I also didn’t come out When Mom and John came home later and tried to get me to open up. Even when John threatened to ground me for a year I didn’t surrender. After a while I started to feel that it was safe to roam around the room, but I was still scared that the ghost was in my room somewhere. I had turned on every light and pulled the edges of the bedding up so that I could see all the way under the bed to the other side of the room. And when the sandman did his nightly rounds I didn’t even get into that bed, but curled up in the bathtub with a pillow and blanket from off the bed.