It's that time of year when everyone likes to hear ghost stories and I think more likely to share them. So I thought I would start sharing some of mine.

A few years ago I was fresh out of college and had just obtained my technical certificate in culinary management. I landed a good paying job as head closing chef(evening shift) and did a good job but did not like it there. I did not work for good people. The kitchen was set up idiotically. It was filthy, the ventilation didn't work. The place was run by religious zealots who insisted on praying every day in group meetings for personal gain. Yet judged, mistreated, and exploited the younger employees. I started getting chest colds and put in my notice I was quitting. She begged me to stay another month so she had more time to find a replacement. Then I saw food getting served that had been dropped on the floor, to children. I had to quit for ethical reasons. But I had to find another job first so I tried to stay and tough it out.

Not long after I had been there, one of the evening hostesses told me the place was haunted. I didn't believe her. We were the last 3 people to leave at night and lock up, so I just thought she was trying to get out of staying late or something.

At the time I had never seen a full figure ghost with my eyes. In spirit form sure, I had seen spirits hovering over loved ones at funerals and sensed presences before. But seeing something in my mind's eye or that didn't look real is different than a full body apparition. Same as hearing a voice I know other people probably didn't is different than something I actually heard. At the time I didn't believe people who saw ghosts. I scoffed at spirit photos as fake.

Well on the last night I worked, I was the only one there, had to work late cleaning. The restaurant was next to a clothing store and the businesses were connected by a large glass paned door. As I was going down the hall turning out lights on my way out, I turned and saw a man in the business next door thru the glass. I of course thought it was an intruder, so I yelled at him that I saw him and was calling the police. I began walking toward him, since the phone was that way and the door was locked.

Then it got freaky. The man came thru the door. Not opened it and walked thru, dematerialized and glided THRU. He stood before me, a tall youngish man in a white shirt and black pants. He had shaggy brown hair and very black glittering eyes. He felt evil. I immediately knew something was wrong so I turned and ran. I had to make it down the hall and up a short set of stairs to get out of the building. As I was running I heard running footsteps behind me and a male voice in my ear said "I will be rid of you soon enough." When I got to the stairs I felt a strong wind push me and I fell for a second. I got out and locked the door. It didn't follow me outside. I looked inside and there was a black cloud over the stairs where I had been.

I quit after that. Soon after I got another job in the same town. I saw 2 of my former co-workers and told them what happened. They shared similar experiences. The hostess had felt a man following her, and my appetizer cook described the same man in our conference room pull out a chair, sit in it, then vanish.