The Pacer

English Park Condominiums #107 was *my* first place. There were quite a few creaks and noises that I noticed from my first day, but I accepted them and grew accustomed to them, never thinking of them as any more than “condo noises.” However, the first visitor (or resident) I noticed in my new home was a man I believed to be my paternal grandfather. He would stand in my bedroom doorway while I or my friends were in the living room. I thought it was my imagination until other people started pointing him out, the first person being my friend, Rachael.

Rachael was also the first person to point out “The Pacer.” While watching TV on night, she said in a very startled voice, “Wendy, someone just walked through your kitchen!” I looked into my kitchen (the doorway and pass-through making the whole kitchen visible) and saw nothing. Usually, I am very sensitive to other presences, and I didn’t even feel anything. I told her she was crazy, and to lay off of whatever she was on. But, a few nights later, at around 10:30pm, I saw a man pace once through my small kitchen. He almost seemed like he was in a hurry, or a panic, or simply really worried about something. He had an urgent air about him. Shocked, I called Rachael and told her I saw him.

A few weeks after that, a similar thing happened. Rachael and I were sitting in my living room watching TV (with Grandpa looking on), when Rachael exclaimed that a cat had just ran through my living room. Slightly annoyed, I told her I don’t have a cat. And, I didn’t believe her when she tried to explain the “ghost cat.”

Actually, it was quite a few months before I saw it. It appeared under my foot as I was walking into the living room, and I almost fell trying to avoid it. It ran off down the hall. I figured I was losing it.

About a year and a half later, my fiancé moved in with me. I never mentioned any of this to him in fear he would have me committed. But, he soon learned for himself. On the third night that he officially lived with me, he was awoken in the middle of the night by a feeling that he couldn’t breathe. He said there was a man standing at the foot of the bed, on my side. Without making a sound, the man seemed to warn him from doing me any harm. Once my fiancé silently assured him no harm would come to me, the man seemed to give him a warm, accepting feeling, and then was gone. My fiancé immediately woke me up and told me about what had just happened. I calmed him down and told him the man was just my grandfather trying to look out for me, as he had all the time I had lived there. Half jokingly, he asked if there were any other spirits in the home he should know about, so I told him about “The Pacer” and “ghost cat.” I didn’t get into details, I figured that could wait.

Evidently, I waited too long. I was making rice-krispy treats one night, a few months later, while Jon (my fiancé) was on the computer. The computer desk was in the living room, next to the hallway, and facing the bedroom door. I could see Jon from the kitchen through the pass-through. While I was stirring the marshmallows, I saw Jon look over, into the bedroom with a concerned look on his face, and rush into the bedroom. Curious, I went over to see what he was doing. When I looked into the bedroom from the doorway, I just saw Jon appear to be looking for something. Unconcerned, I went back into the kitchen. A few moments later, Jon came out and asked, “Did you see that?” “Did I see what?” I asked. “Someone just walked through the bedroom!” he said. “Oh, it’s just ‘The Pacer.’” I told him. Now, Jon was very concerned. He didn’t understand what the heck was going on. “I told you about him, remember?” I asked. “Yeah,” he replied “but I didn’t believe you!” That’s about the time I realized that just before “The Pacer” would make his brief appearance, a high-pitched whistle could be heard throughout the condo through the AC vents. This would always occur around 10:30pm on the nights I was there (I worked part-time at night). I never was able to figure out why he paced, what he was waiting for. Clearly, he was distressed by something, but never bothered anyone else.

If you have any questions or comments for me, or would like to hear about “Arthur”, please feel free to drop me a line. I feel I’m pretty lucky to have had these experiences.

By: wbarrett13@cfl.rr.com