Ghosts in Galveston

Are there ghosts in Galveston?? There is a cottage industry built around this premise. Personally, I was a non-believer in this silliness--but now, I am not so sure.

Here is my ghost story:
I first moved to the island on November 15, just two months after Ike had devastated the island. I rented the perfect loft right above the Stork Club. There was a great balcony and I had a great view of all of Post Office Street. The Stork Club was the first business to reopen after the hurricane and the only business open when I moved in.

My outside door was on 21st Street. Mr. And Mrs. Taylor used the same door that I did to get to our lofts.

I moved to Galveston for a little fun and adventure. The Stork Club is where everybody gathered for good food and drink. Everyone was friendly amd talkative. PhD's rubbed shoulders with transients. I met everyone and had great fun learning the history of the island and listening to everyone's Ike stories. There is a jukebox for music and it can get loud and noisy, vibrating my walls and floorboards in my loft.

As an old fat lady, I was not invisible and many of my friendships began at Stork.

Before i share my tale I must tell you that I am not much of a drinker--a beer or a margarita or a glass of wine every other month or so. I was not drinking when my ghost or whatever visited my loft.

Twice-two times-weeks apart--I was hanging out in my loft. By this time, a couple of bars had opened downtown.

I heard laughter and loud music downstairs. I thought maybe it was someone's birthday. I hurriedly changed clothes, put on a little make-up and headed downstairs to join the fun. Smiling and ready to have some fun, I walked into the Stork. There was no music on the juke box. No one was there--just the bartender, Vanessa. Now, Vanessa has alot of ghost stories dealing with the building but I never took her seriously. The first thing I said was to ask where everyone had gone. I even looked up and down the street for the crowd--thinking maybe
it was a pub crawl. Noone. I asked Vanessa about the music and noise and she stated that because it was Sunday night--the place had been dead all night. I thought she was kidding. I took a bar stool, ordered a diet coke, and we visited. No party!!

Several weeks later, different night, same music and loud noises. I didn't stop to change clothes or apply make-up. I just ran down the stairs. Got to the door of Stork--all of 20 feet from my front door and easily seen from my door--ready to meet new people and jpin the fun--and nothing. No one. Not anybody. No music. Nothing.

On another ocassion-- Mindy, my Morkie, started barking. She ran down the hall to the front door, barked, ran back to my feet, barked, back to the front door still barking. My next door neighbors were on vacation. I didnot hear a knock from downstairs.

I lazily walked down the hall, turned the corner, and my front door was open. I closed it. Locked it. Made a mental note to keep it locked when i was at home.

I didn't count how many times this happened but every time Mindy began barking and runnong to the front door, i knew it had come unlocked and opened. I do not know how or why.

Mindy barks when she sees shadows--not a loud warning bark. It is a yelp of pain, and a whine.

Strange!!