char *(null)=" phantom.typist

phantom.typist

	I am a Teaching Assistant at Western Illinois University and have
had some interesting run-ins with our departmental ghost.  I have spent many
late nights working on the top floor of Simpkins Hall and have experienced
some interesting things.  Doors, that will stay open without any problems
all day long, will shut within five minutes after being opened late at
night.  Windows that I have personally closed and secured have suddenly
flown open letting cold air fill the room before I can rush and re-shut
them.  However, the strangest thing to ever happen occurred very early this
morning.  
	After spending much of the night grading papers in the silent
offices of the Grad. Asses., I finally lied on the couch to get a couple of
hours of sleep before I had to get up and teach.  The entire night had been
completely quiet, but as soon as I had turned of the lights in the offices
and positioned myself for sleep the sound of an electric typewriter being
slowly manipulated, as if by a hunt and peck typist, broke the night's
silence.  I knew I was alone and had been since midnight and so I stood up
to investigate.  I had no sooner risen when the noise stopped.  I stood by
the couch within the returned silence for about a minute before lying back 
down.  As a covered myself with my jacket for as ablanket, the noise started 
once again.  
	
	This time I remained horizontal on the couch and listened to the
typing noise until I was sure that it was not the heating system and was
indeed coming from the middle of the room and one of the other Graduate
Student's office.  Once again I arose, but this time I went to the circuit
box to turn on the lights to investigate whether or not our prankster
Graduate Assistant Dan Bednar was fooling around.  I went to the office from
which the typing noise had originated, but there was no one there.   
	
	After being satisfied that Dan was nowhere in the room, I turned off
the lights and went back to the couch.  Again, as soon as I had turned off
the lights and settled down to sleep, the noise started.  This time I just
called out, "Harold, knock it off I need to get some sleep!"  Oddly enough
the sound stopped and I was finally able to go to sleep.
	
	I have no idea why I called out the name Harold, but it was the
first name that came to mind.  Whatever the name of the Simpkins Hall ghost
is, he quieted down when I told him too.  Others have expressed fear about
being alone in the building late at night, but if our building has a
spector, he is harmless despite his poltergeist pranks.
C.K. Bryant
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