What if “things that go bump in the night” don’t just bump at night?
What if a mere memory could leave a tangible impact on a home?
And, what if ghost stories were real?
They are, according to Loyd Auerbach, a professor of parapsychology and the Director of The Office of Paranormal Investigations.
Auerbach, who has appeared on numerous TV outlets such as Discovery, A&E and ABC, has spent 25 years in the field.
“It’s actually not normal to not have (paranormal encounters),” Auerbach said.
Auerbach gave a talk to an audience of about 35 recently at Ankhasha’s local consignment shop, where Ankhasha and her staff say they have had numerous encounters with friendly — if sometimes teasing or trick-playing — spirits.
Ankhasha herself happens to be a physic for OPI, so the spirits around her store are far from the only experience with the paranormal that she has experienced. Since becoming a certified psychic — or seer — in 2000, she has gone on a couple investigations every year, all over the world.
“About half the time they are true hauntings,” Ankhasha said. “Some can be explained. Some are psychological, some a mix of both true poltergeist and the psychological.”
At the talk, Auerbach shared the stories of several hauntings he’s experienced in his years, including place memories, apparitions and poltergeists.
USS Hornet
The Hornet, a WWII ship, was known as one of the safest ships during WWII. It had the fewest on-ship deaths, the greatest number of kills and was never once hit by enemy fire. It seems an unlikely target for a haunting, however, the Hornet has some of the highest number of sightings, Auerbach said.
The Hornet was converted into a museum after being decommissioned. Even during its remodel, workers saw sailors and an officer in period outfits who would nod or salute, then vanish. Workers blamed the sightings on paint fumes.
Based on descriptions, there are about 50-60 men still on board the Hornet. A chaplain, an admiral and doctor, who all died of old age as civilians, have been identified.
Footsteps, sightings and pinching of ladies’ bums are all common occurrences on the Hornet, he said. One ghost, who was a medic on the ship, will even interact with the machinery when asked.
What ‘place memories’ can do
A New York couple called after several months of hearing moaning noises coming from the next room. Their house was only five years old and had only had one previous tenant. However, every night but Sunday night, at 3 a.m. the couple would be woken up amorous noises from the next room. The noises would stop if one of them walked into the room. While investigating, Auerbach talked to neighbors and found out that the previous tenants, who were still very much alive, would have loud encounters every night (except Sunday) at 3 a.m. The neighbor also had the couple’s phone number and the couple, when confronted, admitted that they did indeed have a “date” every day at 3 a.m., with one day of rest. Auerbach offered several solutions to the new owners, including getting used to it or re-recording a new memory by means of a party or something.
Lois of Livermore
This was one of Auerbach’s first encounters, back in 1985. In Livermore, Calif., a woman called to report that her 12-year-old son was talking to a ghost, one that they had all seen but no one else had talked to.
When the family had first moved into the home, all the family members had seen the ghost individually. She would walk through the house, wave, then disappear, he said.
One day the son, Chris, came home from school and began telling his mother the history of the house. When she asked how he knew this, he answered, “Lois told me. The ghost mom — the ghost you, grandma and dad are seeing. She wants to know why you aren’t waving back.”
Auerbach and his team visited the home, and Chris translated for Lois. One of the questions they had was why Chris would see her in so many different ages and outfits. Her answer? “I’m just a ball of energy, like those aliens on Star Trek.” The way she projected herself would change on her mood.
All of the things Chris told Auerbach and his team were later verified by Lois’s one surviving relative, who had never met or spoken to Chris or his family.
Chris continued to see Lois through high school. Now his kids see Lois when they visit their grandmother and “Grandma Lois.”
Lady in Blue
The lady in blue is perhaps one of Auerbach and Ankhasha’s most prevalent spirit encounters, and certainly the most well-traveled.
Originally known as Elizabeth Claire Donovan in life, the Lady in Blue now goes by Kate. She is a ghost so really who is to argue with her if she wants a different name after all this time. Kate left her abusive husband and went to work at a hotel next door the Moss Beach Distillery, which at the time was known as Frank’s Bar & Grill or the Roadhouse. The Roadhouse was a place where everyone — and that means everyone — including locals, government officials and law enforcement went to drink during prohibition. There was no fear of any raids at the Roadhouse since those who authorized the raids would have to then raid themselves.
Kate’s husband showed up one night and killed her on the beach near the hotel and the Roadhouse.
Her favorite color while alive had been blue. She was also wearing a blue dress, and this fact didn’t change in death. At first Kate was seen primarily at the beach and the bluff overlooking the beach. However she soon began to move up toward the distillery.
Kate has spoken to many psychics over the year, including Ankhasha, and always tells the psychics to say “Hi” to Loyd. Ankhasha has also helped Kate taste food again, one of the things she missed most about life.
Loyd also suggested to Kate that she try traveling. Kate now spends her days flitting around the world, although she does pop in a visit Ankhasha once in a while.
