When I finally got back to my apartment later that evening I felt drained yet exhilarated. Jen had put in a generous bid for the house on my behalf. The owner would simply have to be a fool not to accept it. I was confident that the house would soon be mine.
As I relaxed in my favorite overstuffed chair with a steaming hot cup of cocoa, the day at the house began to replay in my mind. How odd that it had been so hot when we first walked in. The caretaker had shown up almost immediately following Jen's call and, after some careful examination, had found absolutely nothing wrong. By then, of course, the house had already cooled down considerably... Once we left the attic. And how did I seem to know that the windows came from Spain? Certainly I had never seen them or anything remotely like them in my past ... And I had most definitely never been there. My fear of flying made sure of that. But the most curious was how I had reacted to being inside the house. I took another sip of my cocoa. "That house had an undeniable affect on me," I mused, "almost hypnotic."
Just then the phone rang, startling me out of my reverie. So much so i nearly spilled my drink. I looked at the clock as I set my cup on the end table. 12:03 a.m. "Who in the heck ...?" My mind raced. It couldn't be Jen. Not at this hour. Besides it was far too soon to hear anything about the house. *ring* The telephone shrieked at me. "All Right! All Right!" I said to no one. "I'm coming already! Settle down!" I made my way over to the kitchen and picked up the phone, cradling it next to my ear. "hello?" I said tentatively. Silence. I repeated myself a couple more times, but there was no response. "curious" I thought as i set the phone down.
I went into the living room, grabbed my cup, and made my way over to the sliding glass doors that led to the apartment's balcony. Staring out at the night sky, I remembered again the feeling i got standing next to those windows. Cursed or not, they were simply magnificent. I finished my drink and got ready for bed. My last thought as I drifted off to sleep was of those windows ... Soon they would be mine. How was I to know then that it was to be the other way around.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11/26/03
11/24/03
Windows to Where? ... a story in progress ....
Windows to Where? ... a story in progress ....
There was nothing extremely spectacular about it when you first saw it. It was in a tiny suburban town, close to their quaint downtown area and right off the waterfront. Nicely kept lawn ... fairly decent size .... but the first time I saw the house, I knew it had to be mine. Those windows. Those big beautiful windows up in the attic staring down at me. Beautiful stained glass windows looking down at me in brilliant shades of red, gold and green. I knew they had a story to tell. Little did I know then how right I was.
As I pulled up in front of the house that crisp autumn morning, I saw my friend and real estate agent Jennifer Stone smiling and waving frantically at me from behind the big blue and white "FOR SALE" sign posted in the front yard. I waved back as I swiftly pulled into the drive and jumped out of the car. "Hey Jen!" I said as I walked over to greet her, "so this is it, huh?" She could hardly contain her excitement. "Yes it is and I simply can't WAIT for you to see it! You are going to fall head over heels in love with this one I promise you!" I tried to be as excited as she, but all I could think of was the past year of hell searching for the perfect place. Thank goodness Jen was my friend as well as my agent , or I've no doubt she would have dropped me as an impossible client long ago. Then I saw those windows.
The sun was shining brightly in the picture perfect blue sky. I took a moment to look around at the gorgeous and majestic oak in the front of the yard. It had to be at least a hundred years old judging from the size. The leaves were just starting to turn a fiery copper and as I stood there just marveling in the beauty of the whole scene, I saw them. Staring down at me as if I were the one that needed to pass inspection, not it. As if I might not be good enough for the house to let me live in it. It was then that I knew I had to be there. As if my whole search had been but a journey to lead me to this very spot.
"well what are we waiting for?" I asked and turned to Jen. "Let's have a look around." I tried to be cool, but inside my heart was pounding. We walked up the stairs to the porch and as I opened the front door I felt warmth. Jen felt it too. As we entered the house it was almost stifling. "They told me they closed down the house last week, but they must not have adjusted the temperature," she commented as she started to peel off her long wool coat. "it's an oven in here!" She set her things down on a small folding chair by the entrance and walked over to the far wall to check the thermostat herself. "Says 65 degrees. hmmmm... must be faulty. Well, we'll be sure to have them fix it before we make any kind of an offer." I was in a daze and barely heard Jen. I lay my things on top of hers on the chair and started for the stairs. I had to see those gorgeous windows up close. Those big beautiful exotic eyes. The windows to its soul.
As Jen was dialing on her cell trying to find someone responsible for the maintenance on the house, I began my ascent to the attic. The stairway was off to the right of the front entrance. A stunning mahogany number that seemed more befitting a church than this contemporary home. But then, the windows were special too. I lay my hand on the railing as I crept up the stairs, still un-noticed by my harried friend on her cell phone. I turned to look at her as I rounded the landing. She seemed so far away and unreal. I patted the mahogany railing and closed my eyes mesmerized. This was real. I turned my attention from Jen back to the stairs and felt a warm breeze come down seemingly from the attic. It almost took my breath away and I felt a sigh leave my lips. I looked over at my friend, fearful that she may have heard me, but she was still barking orders to some unseen workman about the potential dangers of such shoddy upkeep. Why I was fearful I did not know, except that I needed to be alone in this.
I barely paused at the landing to the 2nd floor. I was on a mission. Finally, as I rounded the landing up into the attic, they came bounding into view. They were even more stunning up close and personal. I slowly made my way towards them, hands outstretched, longing to just touch them, when I heard Jen's voice calling for me from the floor below. I stopped and shook my head. It was as if a fog was lifting and I noticed it began to cool down around me. "Up here!" I shouted as my head began to clear "I'm in the attic!" I heard the click click click of her heels as she made her way up the stairs and that too seemed to bring me back to earth ... or at least away from where ever it was I had been just moments before. She stood at the top of the stairs and smoothed her hair back into place. "Well," she said' "They'll be here shortly to have a look at the house. It was like pulling teeth!" she laughed. I just stood there regaining control, trying not to appear as shaken as I felt.
I needn't have worried. Jen was too focused on house details to notice the slight change in my demeanor. She walked on over to the windows. "I see you've already started the tour." she laughed. "I was going to save these for last as they are, in my opinion, the piece de resistance, the ultimate selling point of the house. But I guess it doesn't hurt to get right to the good stuff." She waved a hand towards them ala Vanna White, bathed in the rich gold, red and green hues of the sunlight streaming through them. "These windows, as well as the stairway, were brought here by the original owner from one of her many worldwide travels. I'd have to look in my notes to be sure, but I want to say they're from someplace in ..." "Spain" I murmured. Jen stopped for a moment and turned to study me. She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a Manila folder and began to rifle through it. "Why, yes, Spain." she said and looked at me. I met her gaze as she continued her story. "It seems she was quite the traveler and had this house built to her specifications to be a kind of showcase for her exotic tastes. She passed away a few years ago. Her daughter sold most of her belongings to museums and collectors. All save for the gorgeous staircase and these windows." Jen paused. "It's rumored they're cursed. That the curse is why they couldn't be removed from the house even if someone wanted to." she came over to my side and giggled and she put her arm around my shoulder, hugging me gently. "which is why I knew you would love this place! Whether or not it's true, I know you're a sucker for stuff like this!" I smiled as I stepped towards the windows. "you're absolutely right," I said as I stood there bathed in the technicolor light from the windows, "You are absolutely Right."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was nothing extremely spectacular about it when you first saw it. It was in a tiny suburban town, close to their quaint downtown area and right off the waterfront. Nicely kept lawn ... fairly decent size .... but the first time I saw the house, I knew it had to be mine. Those windows. Those big beautiful windows up in the attic staring down at me. Beautiful stained glass windows looking down at me in brilliant shades of red, gold and green. I knew they had a story to tell. Little did I know then how right I was.
As I pulled up in front of the house that crisp autumn morning, I saw my friend and real estate agent Jennifer Stone smiling and waving frantically at me from behind the big blue and white "FOR SALE" sign posted in the front yard. I waved back as I swiftly pulled into the drive and jumped out of the car. "Hey Jen!" I said as I walked over to greet her, "so this is it, huh?" She could hardly contain her excitement. "Yes it is and I simply can't WAIT for you to see it! You are going to fall head over heels in love with this one I promise you!" I tried to be as excited as she, but all I could think of was the past year of hell searching for the perfect place. Thank goodness Jen was my friend as well as my agent , or I've no doubt she would have dropped me as an impossible client long ago. Then I saw those windows.
The sun was shining brightly in the picture perfect blue sky. I took a moment to look around at the gorgeous and majestic oak in the front of the yard. It had to be at least a hundred years old judging from the size. The leaves were just starting to turn a fiery copper and as I stood there just marveling in the beauty of the whole scene, I saw them. Staring down at me as if I were the one that needed to pass inspection, not it. As if I might not be good enough for the house to let me live in it. It was then that I knew I had to be there. As if my whole search had been but a journey to lead me to this very spot.
"well what are we waiting for?" I asked and turned to Jen. "Let's have a look around." I tried to be cool, but inside my heart was pounding. We walked up the stairs to the porch and as I opened the front door I felt warmth. Jen felt it too. As we entered the house it was almost stifling. "They told me they closed down the house last week, but they must not have adjusted the temperature," she commented as she started to peel off her long wool coat. "it's an oven in here!" She set her things down on a small folding chair by the entrance and walked over to the far wall to check the thermostat herself. "Says 65 degrees. hmmmm... must be faulty. Well, we'll be sure to have them fix it before we make any kind of an offer." I was in a daze and barely heard Jen. I lay my things on top of hers on the chair and started for the stairs. I had to see those gorgeous windows up close. Those big beautiful exotic eyes. The windows to its soul.
As Jen was dialing on her cell trying to find someone responsible for the maintenance on the house, I began my ascent to the attic. The stairway was off to the right of the front entrance. A stunning mahogany number that seemed more befitting a church than this contemporary home. But then, the windows were special too. I lay my hand on the railing as I crept up the stairs, still un-noticed by my harried friend on her cell phone. I turned to look at her as I rounded the landing. She seemed so far away and unreal. I patted the mahogany railing and closed my eyes mesmerized. This was real. I turned my attention from Jen back to the stairs and felt a warm breeze come down seemingly from the attic. It almost took my breath away and I felt a sigh leave my lips. I looked over at my friend, fearful that she may have heard me, but she was still barking orders to some unseen workman about the potential dangers of such shoddy upkeep. Why I was fearful I did not know, except that I needed to be alone in this.
I barely paused at the landing to the 2nd floor. I was on a mission. Finally, as I rounded the landing up into the attic, they came bounding into view. They were even more stunning up close and personal. I slowly made my way towards them, hands outstretched, longing to just touch them, when I heard Jen's voice calling for me from the floor below. I stopped and shook my head. It was as if a fog was lifting and I noticed it began to cool down around me. "Up here!" I shouted as my head began to clear "I'm in the attic!" I heard the click click click of her heels as she made her way up the stairs and that too seemed to bring me back to earth ... or at least away from where ever it was I had been just moments before. She stood at the top of the stairs and smoothed her hair back into place. "Well," she said' "They'll be here shortly to have a look at the house. It was like pulling teeth!" she laughed. I just stood there regaining control, trying not to appear as shaken as I felt.
I needn't have worried. Jen was too focused on house details to notice the slight change in my demeanor. She walked on over to the windows. "I see you've already started the tour." she laughed. "I was going to save these for last as they are, in my opinion, the piece de resistance, the ultimate selling point of the house. But I guess it doesn't hurt to get right to the good stuff." She waved a hand towards them ala Vanna White, bathed in the rich gold, red and green hues of the sunlight streaming through them. "These windows, as well as the stairway, were brought here by the original owner from one of her many worldwide travels. I'd have to look in my notes to be sure, but I want to say they're from someplace in ..." "Spain" I murmured. Jen stopped for a moment and turned to study me. She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a Manila folder and began to rifle through it. "Why, yes, Spain." she said and looked at me. I met her gaze as she continued her story. "It seems she was quite the traveler and had this house built to her specifications to be a kind of showcase for her exotic tastes. She passed away a few years ago. Her daughter sold most of her belongings to museums and collectors. All save for the gorgeous staircase and these windows." Jen paused. "It's rumored they're cursed. That the curse is why they couldn't be removed from the house even if someone wanted to." she came over to my side and giggled and she put her arm around my shoulder, hugging me gently. "which is why I knew you would love this place! Whether or not it's true, I know you're a sucker for stuff like this!" I smiled as I stepped towards the windows. "you're absolutely right," I said as I stood there bathed in the technicolor light from the windows, "You are absolutely Right."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11/23/03
7-11 ghost
Went across the street to 7-11 tonight to greab something. As i walked into the store i saw someone in a red 7-11 smock walk from behind the counter into the bacoroom where the bottles and supplies are (to the right) i went and grabbed my stuff and went to the counter. waited like 15 seconds. no one showed up. so i went to the door to the backroom (which was open) and knocked on it. waited about 10 seconds. no one came out. So i turned around to go to the front door and open ait to make the "dig" sound so they knew someone was in the store and as i turned there was the clerk. Short stocky he/she. "can i help you" they said/ I told them i thought they were in the backroom and that's why i was there and they said they were in the cooler and alone. freaked me out. paid for my stuff and left... half shaking as i walked back home.
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