Interview with a Ghost
Next up is the interview I had with a ghost. I looked into several ghost sightings all around the country until I finally found one that I was able to substantiate. Cost me nearly three thousand dollars in airfare and another two thousand for hotels, but in the end I found what I was looking for so it’s all good. Besides, I can write all the costs off as business expenses…being a freelance journalist has its perks sometimes.
o o o o o
A. Hunter:
The time is 11:30am on Sunday, February 13th 2000. I’m here with Alicia Port, a resident ghost who haunts this old rundown apartment building at the edge of Chicago. Miss Port, thank you for appearing for this interview.
Miss Port:
No, thank you for coming. I was afraid you might back out seeing as I am a ghost and all. The only people that come in here anymore are those looking for evidence of paranormal activity and whatnot, but every time I show myself they freak out and run. It’s been rather lonely here lately.
A. Hunter:
Well I don’t know about the others you’re referring to, but I’ve been looking forward to meeting with you ever since you agreed to my request last week. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to meet a real live ghost...okay not exactly alive, but you know what I mean. Anyway, how about we start off with some basic questions.
Miss Port:
Sure, ask away.
A. Hunter:
Okay, when and where were you born?
Miss Port:
I was born right here in Chicago in 1940, just down the street to be exact, at the old hospital.
A. Hunter:
Really, so you’ve been here your entire life?
Miss Port:
Yep, born and raised. My entire family’s from here, all the way back to my great-great grandparents who came here from New York to open their own pub. I would’ve taken over the place when I turned 25, but it went to Sissy instead.
A. Hunter:
Sissy? Who’s that?
Miss Port:
Sissina Port, my idiot cousin on my father’s side. We were raised together since neither of us had siblings, but I never liked her much…to much of a drama queen. I think she was jealous that I was next in line to inherit the family pub so she was always trying to get me in trouble.
A. Hunter:
I see. What about the rest of your family?
Miss Port:
My mother died when I was two, so I don’t remember her, and my father spent all his time running the pub so I was basically raised by my grandmother. She’d babysit me after school each day and every Saturday. My father had Sundays off so we’d spend the whole day together.
A. Hunter:
Sounds nice. So what happened to them after you died?
Miss Port:
Well my father ran the pub until he died in 1975 and then Sissy got her hands on it. According to what I’ve heard through the…we’ll call it the ghost-line, she ran it into the ground and the place closed a few years after she took over. I think it’s been abandoned ever since, but since I can’t exactly leave here I don’t know for sure.
A. Hunter:
How about I look into that for you once we finish here? I mean I’m already here and everything so I may as well go check it out.
Miss Port:
Really?! That would be great! Thank you!
A. Hunter:
Don’t mention it, it’ll be my pleasure. Now let’s move on. When was it that you died, and why did you become a ghost.
Miss Port:
I died in the summer of 1963 from cancer. It came on fast and before I knew it I had only a few months to live. Despite how hard my father tried, there was nothing to be done. I died soon after I was diagnosed with it.
A. Hunter:
That must have been difficult.
Miss Port:
Honestly, I don’t think it really sank in for me until after I had already died. It was too sudden for me to even begin to process what was going on. My father took it really hard though, so I figured I’d stick around and keep an eye on him. Probably not my smartest move ever, ghosts are stuck to a specific location until they finally move on, but I didn’t exactly think it through.
A. Hunter:
So you became a ghost for you father?
Miss Port:
Yeah, I felt bad leaving him all alone and thought that maybe he’d find some small comfort if my presence was still around. It didn’t work though, he moved out of here a few months after my death, into the small loft above the pub, and never came back. Funny isn’t it, I became a ghost to help him get over my death and he just needed to get away from everything that reminded him of me.
A. Hunter:
That’s so sad.
Miss Port:
I suppose, but he’s been gone for years now so I don’t think about it much anymore. I mainly spend my time looking out the window and watching the people walk by, hoping that eventually someone will come in and visit me.
A. Hunter:
Have you ever thought about moving on? You know, going to the afterlife or something?
Miss Port:
Sure I have, but for some reason I haven’t been able to. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, or I have some unfinished business still, either way I’m stuck here for the time being.
A. Hunter:
Well at least you have the whole building to wander. It would’ve been awful if you were stuck to this one apartment this entire time.
Miss Port:
I am stuck to this apartment.
A. Hunter:
…oh…moving on then. So, what’s it like being a ghost?
Miss Port:
Okay I guess. Sure it’s boring, but there are plenty of other ghosts around here to talk to. Did you know our voices can travel for several miles? I think it has something to do with the fact that we’re stuck in a single place, but that’s just a theory.
A. Hunter:
I didn’t know that. So how many other ghosts are within your…range?
Miss Port:
About forty or so, if you include the two dogs at the bus station and the cat in apartment D7.
A. Hunter:
Really? That sounds like a lot.
Miss Port:
Not when you consider how many people die every day.
A. Hunter:
True. So can you tell me anything about these other ghosts, or would that be breaking some unwritten rule or something?
Miss Port:
Actually I don’t know much about them, we mainly discuss mundane things like the weather and such. I do know that there’s a shy little boy who lives down the block that likes to sing. He’s a little off-key, but no one’s willing to ask him to stop. Oh, and there’s a really hot guy on the other side of town.
A. Hunter:
How do you know he’s hot if you can’t actually see him?
Miss Port:
His voice. No normal looking guy has a voice that sexy.
A. Hunter:
I see, any other ghosts you spend a lot of time chatting with?
Miss Port:
Not really. There’s a sweet old lady nearby who likes to mother all of us, but that’s about it. The rest of them are more background noise than anything else, they either don’t speak my language, are too far away to make out what they say, or are just plain crazy.
A. Hunter:
Crazy ghosts…imagine that.
Miss Port:
Huh?
A. Hunter:
Nothing. So, care to dispel any myths about being a ghost?
Miss Port:
Why not. Well, obviously we’re not flying white creatures. As you can see we’re merely slightly transparent versions of our former selves, but we can fly around…well sort of. It’s more like hovering I guess. We can also appear and disappear at will, which comes in handy when you want to scare someone…it’s actually a lot of fun.
A. Hunter:
I imagine it wo
uld be.
Miss Port:
There was this one time with a group of teenagers, they came up here on a dare or something, that was absolutely hilarious. I stayed out of sight making creepy noises for several minutes until they started getting scared, and then I jumped out at them-
A. Hunter:
Yelling ‘boo’?
Miss Port:
-and they ran from the place screaming. I laughed so hard I would’ve cried if I was still able to.
A. Hunter:
Sounds like a blast. Now if you don’t mind, I have some fun questions to ask.
Miss Port:
That’s fine.
A. Hunter:
Alright, I’d ask about your favorite fashion style, but being as you can’t wear clothes that would be a waste of time, so let’s start with what’s your opinion about how ghosts are portrayed nowadays in movies and books.
Miss Port:
…well, honestly I don’t know much about them since I can’t go anywhere, but I have heard a few things from the others around here and from what I can tell they always treat us like evil creatures or something. They completely misrepresent our kind; most ghosts are actually really sweet.
A. Hunter:
Right, forgot about you being stuck here and all, sorry.
Miss Port:
Eh, don’t worry about it.
A. Hunter:
Okay then, next question. Do you have any hobbies…other than scaring people of course?
Miss Port:
Actually, yes.
A. Hunter:
Oh really, what?
Miss Port:
I collect stamps.
A. Hunter:
…seriously?
Miss Port:
Of course not, I’m a ghost.
A. Hunter:
…well you don’t have to be so rude about it.
Miss Port:
I’d apologize, but I wouldn’t mean it so there’s really no point. Besides, your question was pretty stupid all things considered. Didn’t you do any research at all before coming here? I mean a ghost having a hobby, yeah right. Next you’ll probably ask what my favorite food is. Some investigative journalist you are.
A. Hunter:
Hey, there’s no need to attack me, I was only asking. And for your information, I did do research…I just lost my notes somewhere before I came.
Miss Port:
Whatever you say.
A. Hunter:
You know what; I think it’s time for me to go now. You’re obviously in a bad mood right now so I’ll just leave you alone to brood…or whatever it is you ghosts do in your free time.
Miss Port:
I’m not in a bad mood, I’m simply annoyed with your ignorance.
A. Hunter:
Bye now!
Miss Port:
Hey, don’t you walk away from me when I’m speaking to you! Get back here!
A. Hunter:
Sorry, places to go, people to see.
Miss Port:
I said come back!
A. Hunter:
See ya!
o o o o o
Sure I was upset, but once I cooled down I realized she did have a point and cutting off the interview was a little harsh. So I decided to do as I promised and looked into Miss Port’s old family pub. Turns out it was bought recently by a young couple who’d just moved to Chicago and they were planning on restoring it to its former glory. It was set to be opened in a few weeks and they even invited me to come check it out. When I went back and told Miss Port about it she was so happy, I think she would’ve hugged me if she’d been able to. I guess that’s what she was waiting to hear about though because shortly after hearing the good news, she finally moved on. It’s a good thing to, I found out the building she was attached to was scheduled to be demolished a few days later.