“Why do you read ghost stories?” a devout Christian friend asked me. This reader absolutely loves and reads those by the bookshelf. This reader also does not for one minute entertain their verity any more than that of romance novels. It is however fun to get a spooky rush and imagine what if. That is, until it’s time to turn off the lights. Unbelief somehow does not stop imagination hormones from rattling in the dark.

Our faith teaches about purgatory, that pre-heaven state of final soul polish. With that in mind, reader mind slows and book falls into lap and imagination takes over. What if a means of carrying out that purging means a read-only visit back in time to those events in life in which we acted not so cool?

Imagine: Egad! Here we are in the darkest corner of her closet. We saw her every week in church and at the grocery. Never saw her otherwise, as she sort of disappears into her own life, whatever that is. We’d all wonder about it, and discuss how things could be a lot better for her -- according to us, of course -- if she’d spend her earnings on a decent wardrobe instead of those trips she takes all over the place. We decided she should slow down with all her working and get out more, locally of course, maybe find a man. Or maybe she has one and that’s why she’s always in such a hurry to be on her way.

Hey no wonder she wears the same three or four outfits all the time. That’s all she owns. And from the looks of the kitchen we suddenly thought-zapped into, she doesn’t have much in here either. And it’s kind of cold in here even by spirit standards. By the looks of the bills on the counter she doesn’t part with her money there either. Wait a minute. Those aren’t bills. They’re receipts and thank you letters. Look at this. She sent money and food and clothing to people we never heard of in places we knew even less. That’s where she went all those times. How come she never said anything? Why didn’t we attempt to get to know her?

Imagine the humiliation of having to spend penance viewing reruns of one’s own past. However far fetched the above example, the concept is scary enough to send this reader back to romance novels. Where wouldn’t you want to have to haunt for a few light years?

Egad!

--lmg

Linda M. Gigliotti has 20 years experience helping people produce excellent writing. She offers tutorial in the preparation of writing assignments for students, and proofreading services for other users of the written word.

E-mail Linda at: Linda.Gigliotti@castanet.net or call her office at 250-765-2221.