A Spooky Evening

We're nearly finishing the Hungry Ghosts' Month and this year, because of the pandemic, the 7th moon prayers were cancelled to avoid people gathering. There is this joke going around that the ghosts won't be coming to town this year because of the many restrictions - two weeks' quarantine, no entertainment shows for them, no feasts and so on.  I guess they must be pretty disappointed!  Whatever it is, I'm in bed early with my blue blanket thrown over my head.  I had wanted to get ear plugs as well but Head Nun wouldn't let me, said it would be a waste of money as they would only be used once a year!

One evening when Head Nun was free, I asked her whether she had ever seen a ghost before.  She smiled and said, "Do you really want to know?"  I gulped but curiosity, as usual, got the better of me and I said, "Yes!"

"Well, it happened many years ago," she began.  "You hadn't come to the temple yet.  There was this old nun called Rev. Ah Meng whom everybody loved and when she passed away at the age of 92, everybody was very sad indeed.   A week after her death, I was watching television one evening when I heard a noise.  I turned round and saw to my shock that she was sitting behind me watching the same TV show!  She seemed to be enjoying it but before I could speak, she smiled at me, then disappeared!  What a pity I didn't have the opportunity to talk to her and find out more about the "after life"."

"What did she look like, Head Nun?  I mean did she look the same as when she was alive?"

"Actually, she looked a lot younger. I never did see her again after that. "

One of the nuns who had  overheard our conversation, chimed in excitedly: "Head Nun, why don't we share ghost stories tonight?  It would be fun!"

I didn't expect Head Nun to agree to her suggestion but she did, surprisingly, so we all gathered together after dinner for a spooky evening.  It was amazing to hear so many stories from the nuns, I couldn't be sure whether they were actual experiences or they just made it all up for the fun of it.  One thing was sure - they sent chills running up and down my spine - and by the time Head Nun called it a day, I was shaking like a leaf.

Are there really such things as ghosts, was the thought I had when I crept into my basket.  Well, I was not going to wait and find out.  I threw my blanket over my head, closed my eyes (and ears), recited a couple of mantras and prayed for sound sleep.

It was a calm, uneventful night or so I thought.  It must be around 3 o'clock when something made me wake up.  It was still dark and everybody was still sleeping. I sat up, then saw to my shock that I was in Head Nun's garden, basket and all.  What the heck was I doing in the garden?  I had definitely gone to sleep in my usual spot in the kitchen the night before.  What had happened?  I nearly jumped out of my skin when from somewhere an owl hooted.  I looked up and saw a pale silvery moon staring down at me.  A cold wind started blowing.  I leapt out of my basket, ran to the kitchen door and pounded on it.

"Head Nun, Head Nun!  Help, let me in!"  I screamed, banging desperately on the door.  No one answered.  I must have fainted because when I woke up, I was in the kitchen and Head Nun was peering worriedly down at me.

"Hee Hee Hee ... let's have fun with
that silly little cat ..."

I couldn't wait to tell her what had happened, that I had been sleeping in the kitchen, then suddenly found myself outside in the garden.  It was like someone .... or something .... had moved me there.  No, it wasn't a nightmare, it did happen! I began to suspect that the nuns had played a joke on me but they all swore they did no such thing.

Did I have a ghostly encounter with some cheeky spooks who wanted to have fun?  To this day, I'm still trying to puzzle this one out.