London to Dover and My Deceased Grandfather

So, my "ghostly," encounters have been a hit on the blog so here is a short and sweet one.
My Mom's father died when I was around five. I vaguely remember him. I now feel I remember him more by pictures as time passes. He had black, thick hair and was tan. He was part Native American. My Mom did not know about her Native heritage until a couple years before his death. He just told her one day.
Anyways I took a trip to London. I was on a tour of the country side.  We were going to the White Cliffs of Dover and later a castle. My Grandfather fought in the war and lost his hearing during the Battle of the Bulge. I can proudly say he helped liberate the Jews and all else Hitler hated.

The bus we were on had really high seats. You could not see the people in front or back of you.
I am sitting in my seat with a smile because I am just so delighted to be in England. I'm on a dream trip. I am kind of in my own happy world when I hear, " young lady where are you from?" It is a deep voice that brings you to attention. I pop up and peer over my seat and I tell him I'm from Pittsburgh with a big smile. He smiles at me. I then retreat down into my seat like some wack a mole trying to hide. I say nothing else to him and yet again I uncharacteristically do not say anything else. Although for a very fleeting second I think the man looks familiar.

I was seriously chased back into the bus when we got off at the castle by a black swan. Swans and I have a long hateful relationship. This was a small bus tour. I never saw the man again after my wack a mole encounter.

So upon my return from Europe I received a box of family pictures to store. In the box were pictures of my Grandfather when he was young and vibrant. It also included his platoon at the front of the Arc De Triomphe. When I saw my young Grandfather I immediately realized the familiar face on the bus was him. I sat quietly for a moment staring at the pictures. I was a little shocked but, soon was washed over in happiness. I got to meet him as an adult.  It was quick and memorable. I walked in front of the Arc De Triomphe. I was where he walked. I went to the White Cliffs of Dover. A military stronghold. Perhaps he is always watching over me and just wanted to make sure I was safe in Europe.

A Ghost Comes To Visit

I have to share some odd situations I have been in because it just seems like people love to talk about strange happenings. I am not one of those people who dismiss a spirit is always gone instantly from earth so these interactions made me think and some gave comfort.

In the beginning of this blog I talk about my deceased Grandfather. We were very close and he was a positive light in my life. Prior to his death I would go to the hospital and sit with him and sometimes read the newspaper out loud. I was not with him when he died. I came home very somber from my Grandfather's home. I lived alone. I was thinking about him and very sad with a heavy heart. I walked down the hallway and dining room and into the kitchen. I left a newspaper on the counter for the next day. I turned the kitchen light on. On the floor was each section of the newspaper neatly opened up and lined up down my long kitchen floor. I smiled and cried at the same time. I am weeping now as I write this because he came to comfort me one last time. Coincidentally I already had a flight booked to Maine right after his funeral. I was looking out my plane window and we were in puffy clouds. I looked down and closed my eyes. It made me think of heaven. I said Pap let me know you are alright. I looked back out the window and high in the sky between those puffy clouds was a rainbow. When it is my time I hope to ride a rainbow to meet my Pap again.

I owned a formal girls shop in a very small town. I call these towns "one horse towns." It was on a corner by the one street light. I always had the window dressed to perfection with the wooden top mannequins in puffy dresses and a theme. Perhaps because the name was "American Lass," led to my next encounter. It was unusually busy for a Tuesday morning. I finished up with a customer and the door bell jingles again. I look up and I instantly think something is not adding up with the man standing in front of me. He is in full military uniform. He is in that old khaki green. This is not the uniform you see today. I say hello and ask how I may help him. He tells me his name which I instantly forget but, this is not uncommon for me. He asks where I am from and proceeds to tell me I should know his family as they are from the Hempfield High School area. I tell him I don't but, he clearly does not see I am much younger than him. He starts talking about this grocery store that has not been open since possibly 1980 called Gee Bee's as if it is still open. This is 2013. At that point I am honestly nervous because I am alone and wondering if this man just walked out of a mental institution. I just stand there doing the ok, nodding head thing. He finally says his car is broke down in the lot below and if I knew someone could help or could I give him money. There is no lot down the block. I told him sorry I could not help. When he goes to leave I now see his one pant leg cuffed. He lost a leg in the war. Unbelievably a person walks in after him whom I don't know so I can't say like hey did you see that man in the 1960's military uniform...Because when I looked it up I found it appeared to be an Army Officer uniform from the Vietnam War era. My landlord suffered injuries during the Vietnam War and had an office in my building. Out of respect I would not bring this to his attention but, maybe that is how this ghost ended up at my door too. You know I knew by the end it was not real but, what haunts me is it is out of my character not to help someone. I said I could not help but, I have a huge heart for Vietnam Vets because I feel many were not appreciated and were victimized again by poor physical and mental healthcare when they came home and still to this day.

I got a couple more but, you will have to wait!!