Phantom Pipe Tobacco in the Lobby!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 7:05 p.m.

Courtney and I were chatting, standing behind the counter which is located in the lobby of the hotel.  Since it was May, the sun had not set yet and was shining brightly.  We both noticed the all-too familiar aroma of sweet cherry pipe tobacco surrounding us.  (Cherry pipe tobacco was a favorite tobacco consumed by Confederate soldiers and frequently smelled by hotel staff and guests alike.)  There was no one else in the lobby building at the time and there is no smoking in the lobby.   

A few moments later, Courtney and I, still standing in this same location, both heard the front door of the lobby open.  The door is heavy, with a spring loader, and has a very distinctive sound when it opens.  We both turned at the same time towards the sound and saw the door suspended open and that no one had come into the lobby area.  Then, the door slowly closed, as it would with the spring loader.  Courtney searched the entire lobby and breakfast area and, to her astonishment, found no one.

At the time of this incident, the front door to the lobby was the only unlocked access into the front of the hotel.  There was no wind blowing at all and the door is too heavy for the wind to even push it a tiny bit.

After consulting with Courtney, we realized that we both have had this same experience, separately, on several occasions.  We both laughed because it happens a lot, and each time we hear the door open, as good little hotel employees, we run to the front desk to attend to the guest and/or potential guest.

Since the office area, where we normally are when there are no guests at the front desk that need attention, is small, it literally takes us mere seconds to get to that front counter.  The really amazing thing is that this usually occurs AFTER the front door has been locked at midnight.  On this day, however, we were together and it was still broad daylight.  Cool.