Our Ghosts Celebrate New Year's With A Bang!

Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 5:09 p.m.

My mom always comes to work with me on New Years Eve.  She is such a trooper to sit with me during my all night, 16-hour shift.

Just after 5:00 p.m., Carrie, my mom and I were in the lobby area standing behind the counter chatting when the front door opened.  As soon as the front door opened, the inside ceiling light directly in front of the door immediately blew out with a flash and a bang.

No one was standing in the doorway or had come in the door.  The front, lobby door is heavy with a bar across the top that forces the door to shut as soon as it is opened.  Needless to say, Carrie was her usual excited self:  "They did NOT do that!"  My mom and I just laughed.

11:49 p.m. - My mom and I were in the manager's office chatting.  I was gathering everything I needed to complete the midnight audit.  We both heard a creaking noise coming from the direction of the middle breakfast prep room, which is located between the manager's office and the laundry room.

Since I have heard this creaking sound many times coming from this room, I grabbed my mom and took her into the room.  "See mom, this is what happens with the attic door.  Sometimes you hear it opening and sometimes you don't." 

The attic door was wide open. 

Thursday, January 1, 2009, 1:00 a.m. and 2:25 a.m.

My mom was still sitting at the manager's desk reading her book, while I was in my usual spot, which is a lounge chair across the room.  A movement caught my mom's eye and she watched the attic door opening on its own.

My mom has been with me many times on the battlefield and has experienced many unexplainable things with me there.  Her reaction to the above was "Happy New Year's Boys."

Thursday, January 1, 2:40 a.m. and 3:04 a.m.

Each of the above-listed times, my mom and I heard a loud thud coming from the front of the building.  It sounded like something large hit the outside of the building.  Each time, I immediately went to the front lobby door and stepped outside.  Each time, there was nothing on the ground and no damage to the front of the building.  More phantom artillery fire or small arms fire?  Another common occurrence.