I have a little retreat in the suburb of
my home city. I only spend my mornings there – reading, gardening or doing
nothing – just enjoying being there. I never spend any dark evening there as I
suffer greatly from phasmophobia – the fear of ghosts. I have never spent any nights there, either.
It took the company of my grandson,
Daniel, who is only two and a half years old to give me the courage to spend
the night there. I babysat him when he was home on holiday. We spent three nights
at the retreat.
On the first night, I turned on all the
lights at the pied-ā-terre. I had the lights in the bedroom switched on, too. I
found it most difficult to go to bed as my imagination of ghosts had gone to overdrive.
I was so terribly frightened that some spirits might suddenly appear that I had
an extremely restless night.
The second night was better as I had a
bit more courage then. I was able to go to bed albeit with some difficulty.
I found myself better relaxed on the
third night. Daniel had finally given me the courage to be there that night.
But do you think I will be able to spend a night, all by myself, there after this?
ltbs
Coward
– one who in a perilous emergency thinks with his legs.
Ambrose
Bierce
