THERE’S a ghost in my (mum’s) house. I can’t hide.
I have not seen any - there are actually three - so cannot provide accurate identification but have, for ease of storytelling, named them the ghosts of jealousy, self doubt and future failure.
Spirits play a huge part in the life of Michael Morrison, the central character in my novel The Choreography of Ghosts, as he attempts to solve the riddles left behind by those no longer physically with us.
My mum recently asked if I thought she had a ghost in her house and maybe she has. Maybe I have too. More than one.
The jealous one is proving a real problem. A picture disappeared from mum’s house, then a couple of wine glasses, followed by a prescription.
Obvious explanations immediately occurred, but add to the above my recent tumble down the stairs and a past injury in her house and I’m starting to wonder.
The photograph of mum’s friends; well the ghost doesn’t want her to share her life with other people. The wine glasses; similar - you can have one but no more. Someone else’s prescription; lose that medication and they won’t be coming round again.
It’s obvious. I see now that alcohol wasn’t to blame for my speedy reverse down the stairs after a post-Christmas night out - the bloody ghost pushed me. Same with the previous incident. On top of all that, it followed me back to Rotherham and chucked me off the back of a treadmill this week. And it smashed a glass and made it look as if I had done it.
The jealous ghost wants no other than my mother in her house and proof positive, if any more was needed, is the fact mum’s new cat Sparkle is scared of going upstairs due to the constant presence of the never off guard ghoul.
The ghost of self doubt has almost always been with me but briefly left a couple of weeks ago and suddenly everything seemed possible.
It was playing a practical joke though and, on return from attending an assertiveness course, bullying boot camp or something, the vindictive spook displayed increased aggression with ever-growing confidence.
I had been pleased with the response to my book finally becoming available but the non visible vile visitant wasn’t going to allow that to last.
Struggles with technology really get me down and with the “help” offered coming from an AI bot probably created by the remorseless spirit, I quickly felt defeated. It cannot be that hard to make it available to buy.
The trouble is the self doubt has a knock-on effect and so to the ghost of future failure which has just made its presence known. What’s the point in continuing with the writing? Why don’t you just do it for yourself? Or not do it at all? Its questions are not unreasonable and the negatives and many more need addressing. Now.
I can’t be beaten by some ****** of a phantom that won’t even show its fizzog. Michael Morrison wasn’t. He fought back and learned to deal with the hauntings of his mind.
I created Michael’s problems and found his solutions, so having done the first bit for myself, surely I can discover my own answers.
Ah, here we go. “Hello, can you put me through to the ghost of positivity? Hello… hello…”
* The Choreography of Ghosts is available now from Amazon.