It happened a long time ago but thinking about it still brings a rash of goosebumps.

The only time I believed in ghosts was when I was in K-5th grade. Stories of the "blue hand" stalking the unsuspecting girls circulated the hush hush whispers of the bathrooms. Those days I used to be thankful that I was a day- scholar.

Later, much later, I came to the US and forgot about my childhood paranoia of bathrooms. I used to live in the 14th floor, studio apt of a high rise building. It was small, had a great view of the tops of bare, naked trees or lush green foliage depending on the seasons. Stormwatching was my favorite past time and the lightning seemed to shoot right past my windows. And when the wind howled, it moaned like a banshee in pain which gave me a temporary earache in the morning. Nevertheless, I loved the little, sunny apt with abundent leafy, creepy, crawly vines framing my windows.

One particular year, I had just gotten my first job and was working full time as well as carrying 18 credit hours in my haste to graduate. My mother visited me and was shocked at the books piled up everywhere but the shelf mournfully at the corner of my studio. "Haree! hindney thaaon pani chaina! ke halath ma baaseeko hola!" she would exclaim as she tried to tidy up my room. " Mamoo mero kitaab na- saareesyos- na, mero jaanch aaoondaicha ke!" I would say in frustration as I looked for bits and pieces of valuable notes tucked randomly in my text books. My mom would just look at me like I had somehow lost my mind in the paper trail I left from my bed to the dining table to the kitchen and on to the hallway.

One day, I came back home from one of my night classes. It was around 10 pm, I always took the metro where 45 minutes of train ride afforded me 30 minutes of very needed power nap between my job and my classes. As I straggled into the apt, my patient mother had heated up my food and was waiting for me. "Sitara, here is a suggestion, tai le ghar kinna sakchas?" I looked at her in amazement, actually, at her faith in my capacity to buy a house in the US. "Bichar gar, you pay so much rent for this cramped up little place... why not spend it to pay off a house?" "Hyaaa mamoo, hajur pani!" I dismissed the thought. But, the seed had been planted in my mind.

The next few weeks, the thought of owning a house was a nagging thought in my mind. Even the apt began to shrink in size. So, I thought, when I graduate I could afford a house so, why not start looking around. So, decided to have a look-see. At this my mom said, "Hera Sitara, joon paye tyahi ghaar pani hunna ni! You have to do proper puja before you move into a house. Bhoot pret hunchan... yeso hernoo... yahan satyanarayan puja garna ta mildaina tyahi pani...yeso... puja garera matra hai!" "Ha ree mamoo, I am just looking! hernae matrai... maybe in the summer, I will buy one in leisure. kaam bata pani chutti huncha 2 mahina ani matra kinney ke! Tyahi pani Amrika ko bhoot sanga ke daraooney ni!"

So I called up a realtor. Wow! I was looking to buy a house! Sounded good enough for me. Had I even a slight inkling of what was to follow, I'd have promptly abandoned the idea.

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To be continued....

Note: Please read at your own risk (this narration is a mental break from the rigors of an assessment prep which is killing me ) and correct the typos as you read (as I am brain-numbed!)

Apologies !!! even for kidding....how sweet!!

You dhatnu-ed !!! :0 :0


[ Can't help the sweet factor... :(:( ..... I try and try and try to be mean, but I had an accident and fell into a bucket of honey when small ...:(:( ]

And that's why u speak and write like honey till today.....Lady croft!!!

>I am just looking! hernae matrai... maybe in the summer, I will buy one in leisure. kaam bata pani chutti huncha 2 mahina

It sounds you get two months summer vacation. How wonderful is it? त्यस्तै अड्डामा जागिर पाए पो हुन्थ्यो। लौ न यसो भनसुन गरम् र छिराइदिम् हाम्लाई नि? सरकारी जागिरै हो?
राम्रो लाग्यो कथा।

Sitara, you scared the hell out of me! Well, that was before I read last two installation. Those were ok compared to the ones before. Man, scary scary! So, what the baby was thrown against the wall then dragged in the bedroom then washed off in the tub (just following the blood trail)?

Sitara...man i'm scared shitless...and it's only 10 am...lol...i'm gettin goosebumps...lovely narration tho.....

NK: I heard there is a spirit in the room where we slept in your house :). How is C....?

Also, I KNOW there is something in my house and have been told it's a good spirit by different people so I try not to tick "her" off to much! One day, while we were eating, I heard the guitar strum, right next to us when NOBODY was walking around to vibrate that instrument!!

Sitara, I've also been to an open house that has totally freaked me out...so much so that I've felt "chills" in different rooms.

Can you tell I LOVE bhut ko stories...I'm addicted to bhut ko movies..my all time fav is OMEN...and I recently watched GRUDGE. Kids thought it was a hoot, I couldn't sleep all night!

Sitara,
Very scary! It almost sounded like I was watching Nightmare on Elm Street. Mortuary Science?does this science really believe in ghosts/spirits? I suppose this must be the passion for dealing with haunting souls, if they really exists?

Thank god, you are safe now...

Sitara,
Did this really happen to you? If NOT, then a nicely narrated story. If, YES, then I do not understand why every scary story has to have an "all peacefull," " fully-recovered victim," "no more spirit around" ending." I mean, if the spirit or whatever was following you, or just the feeling that you had stopped, then that's really good for you. But in most of the movies, in most of the personal stories, the spirit, ghost eventually disaapears, meaning the experience comes to an end by some sort of help, or for some reason. Why can there not be stories, where the victim is still haunted, or is seeking some sort of help to get rid of it, and not just where the entire confrontation with the spirit doesn't just cease?

On the last sentence:
'Spirit doesn't just cease' SHOULD BE 'spirit just ceases.'

Suna, She is a good little girl. Oh, yes that room. My brother complained about some noise (typing of all the things!) coming out from the next room. I gues some ghosts like to write. But, I have been alone (with my two girls, of course) in the house quite frequently, and I have not heard any ghostly peep.

How are you?+

Sitara,

Scary story, but I was hooked unto it. Don't make it into a movie, coz I will never watch it. My husband has been pestering me to watch Ringtwo. I won't watch that movie even if he buys me a million dollar house.

NK, long time no see in sajha. Glad to to hear that girls are doing well.

Suna, how are you? has been a while since we chatted.

Sitara a silly question.....are you related to Tara???? (From that mvoie nau do eghara))

Ugly Duckling, my dear!!! How ARE Ya?? That reminds me to catch up with my emailing.

uglyduckie:

two lille scareycrows sitting on a tree
k-i-s-s-i-n-g
:)

how be you? :) I am flying into see you..one of these days!

Suna and flying??? ummm does not sound right or are you making wings to fly. khit khit khit.

He he! Bhoot ko katha ta sabailai man parney ho ki kya ho?!

Hey P Queen, didn't see you earlier in my writing frenzy. Thank you for taking the time to read this one too.

Thanks friends for reading... and allowing me to "tyam pass". Lady, lucky is the guy who is stalked by you! hehe

Dada giri ji: purai berojgar hunu bhanda ta 2 mahina berojgar bes hoina ra? ;) tyasto hamro "very very unglamorous " jagir ma ke halne hajur lai.

NK, never found out about the house and its previous residents. hey nice to see you!

Suna, I know, I do get vibes from houses.

Ugly Duckling and Aisha, thanks... appreciate your comments!

Hey hey Rusty, oho! kahan bat phursad ni dula saab lai? :) I think the belief in souls is a personal choice.

Gham pani; if you want to see one unresolved movie... watch "Fallen". gives you the creeps.

Hushpuppy... Ya I think, the tara is kinda related to the better half of my name! :P

"He he! Bhoot ko katha ta sabailai man parney ho ki kya ho?! "....Ya Sitara Di, Maan ta ek dam maan parne tara tapiko jasto scary bhayo bhanee chai sato putlo janee kya!! I am too worried to go to my appartment alone after reading urs "bhutiya katha"

Star,
Just saw this hai. Great narration. I bet it gave u chills when u were writing it.
Keep on writing. Won' t miss from now on. Might wanna make sure ur name is next to ur title, though ;)

Hey DWI, you are the king of sajha thrillers and I am flattered you liked the narration. Yes, writing chills is better than what I was feeling the last couple of days,"rugha khoki and galei mei khich khich!"

Ok... a request from me... How about another one from Lekhak? ;)