Mom was throwing veggie water out back onto the garden and Grandma was telling Mom that years ago before proper sinks and drainage, their was a saying, “be careful where you throw out your slop water because if a leprechaun gets wet they can turn nasty and put a spell on you.” Mom of course just grinned.

Later that day Grandma went for her nap and Mom and I went to the sewing room to catch up on a few things but as we approached we could hear rustling sounds inside the room. We looked at each other a little nervously because there was no one else in the house.

I OPENED THE DOOR SLOWLY, TRYING TO BE AS QUIET AS POSSIBLE. “OH NOOOOOO!” I said to Mom.

“What’s in there?”

“Mom, THEY REALLY EXIST!”

“What does?” Mom asked in a panicked voice.

“Leprechauns Mom, Leprechauns!”

Mom’s mouth dropped open as we both peeked in again. “HE DOESN’T LOOK VERY FRIENDLY.” Mom whispered.

I had always thought they were sweet little characters but I had to agree with Mom this time. As we continued looking we saw four of them running around the room taking orders from the one we saw first. Mom pointed to the corner and whispered once more, “COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE WHAT I THINK IT IS?”

There sat five pots shining, brilliantly on the floor. This was becoming a bit much. As we watched the leader, he spun the gold into gold thread as the others ran side to side with it criss-crossing the brilliant threads like a spider web. We crouched there speechless just as our kitten ran in. The leader started dancing with glee.

“WHOA! THIS WAS GOING TO BE MORE FUN THAN I IMAGINED,” he sang to the others as we watched poor kitty being wrapped up in gold thread also. All five stood there laughing then disappeared so quickly we barely saw them go.

We ran to Grandma’s room and I started, “Grandma, do you remember the saying you told Mom this morning?”

“Yes dear.”

“Well THEY REALLY DO EXIST!” which she asked what exists.

“Leprechauns.”

“Donna, calm down. The quote is real but you know there are no leprechauns.”

“Well come downstairs and we’ll prove it.”

We flung open the door and I said, “What do you think now?”

Grandma simply replied, “Looks like neither one of you has done a thing today.

As Mom and I looked in with our mouths open Grandma shook her head and left. There wasn’t a thing we could do or say without sounding foolish. It had to be our secret because there was nothing left to see or prove that any leprechauns had been there.

They got us good that day for sure.

I OPENED THE DOOR SLOWLY…TRYING TO BE AS QUITE AS POSSIBLE…..OH NOOOOOO!!!!! The loud squeak it made was enough to wake the dead! What am I thinking about?! There’s not any dead in here to be awakened. I hoped. I crept inside, my eyes darting right and left, seeking out any movement from the dark shadowed corners. A noise! A scurrying! COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE WHAT I THINK IT IS?! I frantically seek out the source of the sounds. Yessss!, I breathed in relief. Just a mouse.

The mouse scurried to a corner and turned to stare back at me, it’s beady little eyes glowing red in the semi-darkness. IT DOESN’T LOOK FRIENDLY, I thought. I have invaded it’s domain and now it was willing me to leave.

“WHOA!! THIS WAS GOING TO BE MORE FUN THAN I HAD IMAGINED,” I mumbled to myself sarcastically. I hoped the others were having a good laugh outside waiting in the car. Just wait, their turn was coming.

Then suddenly, I heard a noise! It was coming from the back of the house, a high pitched screech. I covered my ears to block it out but I had to know what it was. I crept forward. I could make out a low voice. “Wooly Bully!” Then a chrous of voices. “Wooly Bully!!” My heart almost stopped but, like a moth to the flame, I had to know.

The door was there in front of me. All I had to do was reach out and turn the knob. “Wooly Bully! Wooly Bully!” With trembling fingers I grasped the knob and slowly turned it. There was a squeak as the door started to open. Silence from inside. I stuck my head around the door as I peered in.

There were 5 strange men starring back at me wearing turbans and looking like something from the old movie, Arabian Nights! “THEY REALLY DO EXIST!”, I exclaimed to myself. Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs!

I learned they had come to this deserted old house to practice for a surprise Halloween come-back concert this very night. The screech I had heard was their amps tuning up! Best of all? I got a free ticket to their concert! Wait til the guys in the car hear about this!!!!

Modern Day

“Harper’s Ferry”

Annie MacGregor decided that it would be great fun to attend a Mystery Theme Dinner at The HillTop Hotel in West Virginia. Located in scenic Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, she knew it was going to be a blast. A free spirit and totally at ease in her own company, Annie went on her own. She decided to take a side trip on her way there; She stopped in Charlestown and went to the slots!!!!

Knowing how addictive the experience would be….. Hmmm. Wonder why??!! She only took $100 in with her.

It was a Saturday, so very few slots were available. As soon as the disgruntled person got up from one of the dollar machines, she grabbed it….She knew that a person with an unhappy expression, muttering, “I just put THREE HUNDRED BUCKS IN THAT DAMN MACHINE,” was a very good omen.

She sat down, slipped in a Twenty and (((RING!!)))) Annie screamed at the top of her lungs. The person who had just left came running back, pushing several other losers out of his way!!(hahah)…..”(2) Could that POSSIBLY be what I think it is,” he yelled ?!!” Annie had hit $5000 !! The attendent came to get the necessary information for tax purposes. Annie grabbed a Diet Pepsi and started dancing a Scottish jig, while she waited to sign the papers!! Everyone joined in …..Everyone except the person who left that machine, ONE DOLLAR TOO SOON.

After getting her winnings in a check, she asked for an escort to her car. Convinced that the poor sport was waiting to jump her in the parkinglot, her head was like a radar tower as she walked to her car!

She was soon back on the road…….. “I think that car is following me!” She picked up her cell and phoned the hotel…..

“Hello. This is Annie MacGregor. Okay, here’s the deal. I’m on my way to your hotel for the mystery gig.Uh huh….Yes. Okay…Now please listen up. I just won some money in Charlestown and I think someone is following me…..The bastard…… Sorry…. Okay….Here’s the thing……. If I never make it to you and you read about me being in a horrible accident….It was NO ACCIDENT!!!” The voice at the other end started laughing!

Annie:”I’m NOT KIDDING, doggone it!!” She rang off and looked in her rearview mirror…. The red Mustang had disappeared!! “Good,” she muttered! ” Of course now I have made a horse’s *** out of myself ….Oh well…….Won’t be the last time!!” She breathed a visible sigh of relief and soon drove into the circular drive of the hotel.

As Annie was making her way up to her room, she saw some people dressed in their costumes, for the evening’s event….

“(4) Whoa!! This was going to be more fun than I had imagined, ” Annie said to no one in particular. Just as she turned the key in her door, a voice could be heard in the stairwell …. “MUAWWWWWWWWWW !!”

Annie laughed and shouted back:””(5) OOOH!!! GHOSTS!!!They really do exist! HEE HAW !! ”

She walked into her room….” I LOVE it!” It was done up in decor relative to the time of the Civil War. “Man….I just love this.” She looked to her left and jumped a mile……”(1) He..She…It, doesn’t look friendly!!…..Oh, for GOD’S SAKE!!!”

It was simply her own reflection that had frightened her!!

“God!! I hope there’s enough money in the bank for a little….NAY! For a LOT of plastic surgery!!”

She laid out her clothes for the evening….She had decided to go as a Southern Civil War Sgt………She wanted to emulate her great grandfather who had fought in the War, which included one of the battles of Harper’s Ferry. She carefully put on the uniform and slicked back her hair. As she was going down thecorridor, to join the rest of the dinner guests, she opened one of the many doors in the hallway. She stopped short in her tracks!!!! She felt as if she had been hit on the head, the shock was soooo powerful. She felt herself falling. One of the other guests grabbed her as she slid to the floor.

The guest:”Maam!! Are you okay?!”

Annie:””(3) I opened the door slowly ,…trying to be as quiet as possible…..OH NOOOOOOO!!!!!” She starred in disbelief as the person she had seen took one look at her ,tipped his hat, and quickly took his leave.

TO BE CONTINUED