THE GHOST OF A VACATIONER?

JUST HOW DID THE SWING MOVE ON ITS OWN?

MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING BACK, AT OUR FAMILY HISTORIES, OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, PARTLY OUT OF THE TYPICAL FROLIC IN THE "NOSTALGIC," AND SOMEWHAT MORE, BECAUSE OF HER WORK ON ANCESTRAL RESEARCH. SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON OUR RESPECTIVE FAMILIES, AS A PATRON OF ANCESTRY.CA, AND OVER THREE YEARS SHE HAS FILLED IN A LOT OF BRANCHES ON THE COMBINED FAMILY TREE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AS WE REMINISCE ABOUT SOME OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, WE CAN'T HELP BUT STIR UP COLLATERAL MEMORIES…..WE HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT FOR DECADES. THIS IS A CASE IN POINT, AND IT WAS WHEN WE BEGAN CHATTING ABOUT DAYS GONE BY AT THE FAMILY COTTAGE, HERE IN THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA.

NOW I ALWAYS FOUND THE COTTAGE AT WINDERMERE A TAD EERIE, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS AN OLDER STRUCTURE, DARK, AND IN THE EMBRACE OF MANY TALL PINES, THAT MADE IT LOOK MYSTERIOUS…..AND A LITTLE ENCHANTED. SUZANNE WAS TELLING ME LAST NIGHT, ABOUT AN INCIDENT ON THE COTTAGE PORCH, THAT CONVINCED HER THAT NOT ALL SPIRITS LEAVE AT THE TIME OF BODILY DEMISE.

AS A YOUNG ADULT, SHE REMEMBERS A GENTLEMAN PASSING AWAY AT THE COTTAGE, WHO HAD BEEN THERE WITH FAMILY FOR THE SUMMER SEASON. SUZANNE'S PARENTS OWNED THE OLD FAMILY HOMESTEAD, ON THE SHORE OF LAKE ROSSEAU, AND AS THEY HAD A HOUSE IN WINDERMERE, A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY, AND OPERATED THE MARINA AS WELL, THEY RENTED OUT THE COTTAGE, AND EVEN THE HOUSE, AS A MEANS OF EXTRA INCOME.

THE GENTLEMEN IN QUESTION, HAD EXPERIENCED SOME HEALTH PROBLEMS, AND WAS CONVALESCING AT THE COTTAGE. AFTER WADING IN SHALLOW WATER AT A NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, AND RETURNING BACK TO THE COTTAGE, HE HAD DECIDED TO REST ON A SWINGING BED, WHICH WAS A SPRING WITH MATTRESS THAT WAS HUNG WITH CHAINS FROM THE PORCH RAFTERS. HE UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY ON THE SWING.

IT WAS DEVASTATING NEWS FOR THE FAMILY, AND AS THEY WERE CLOSE FRIENDS OF SUZANNE'S MOTHER AND FATHER, IT WAS A TERRIBLE TIME DEALING WITH THE GREAT LOSS.

ABOUT A YEAR LATER, SUZANNE ARRIVED AT THE COTTAGE, BY BOAT, AND WAS MAKING HER WAY UP THE HILLSIDE TO THE COTTAGE. WHEN SHE CAME CLOSER TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, SHE COULD HEAR THE SOUND OF THE CHAINS AND THE COT, AS IF SOMEONE WAS LAYING ON TOP. THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE COTTAGE DURING THIS PERIOD. WHEN SHE LOOKED CLOSELY, THROUGH THE SLATS IN THE PORCH RAIL, SHE COULD SEE THE BED SWINGING AWAY, AS IF SOMEONE WAS ACTUALLY PERPETUATING THE MOVEMENT. AS SHE TELLS THE STORY, SHE HEARD, SHE LOOKED, AND SHE RAN……AS THIS WAS, WHAT SHE BELIEVED, A GHOSTLY ENCOUNTER OF A FORMER COTTAGE DWELLER, WHO MAY HAVE COME BACK FOR A FINAL SWING.

SHE SPRAINED HER FOOT ON THE HASTY RETREAT.