The Visitor

This morning was more eventful than most mornings. What I am about to tell you is 100% true and without embellishment.

The day began with an early morning phone call from a refrigerator repair company. We called them last evening because of an electrical problem we were having with the walk-in cooler. They planned to arrive later in the day, so I tried to get another half-hour of sleep before I truly woke up.

I never got the opportunity to lay my head back down.

I hopped back in bed and just as I did so, someone began knocking on the kitchen door. I ran downstairs to answer it, but no one was there. I put my shoes and coat on and walked outside. I didn't see anyone so I yelled, "Hello!" No answer.

I walked around the perimeter of my house to see if someone was possibly on the other side of the building. No one.

I walked up to the Dining Hall and went in to see if someone had gone inside the building. Still, there wasn't a soul to be found.

At this point, I laughed to myself. People have often asked me what it's like to live on a campground when no one else is around. Everyone wants to know if it's scary. Truthfully, it isn't. At least I didn't think so before today.

As I left the Dining Hall, I debated whether I should head toward the Woodside building, or walk along the lower side of the campground. As I scanned my eyes through the camp, I looked toward the Rec. Hall and I saw someone. A person, dressed in a long black overcoat and a black hat walked around the corner of the Rec. Hall toward the Pool and disappeared out of sight. I yelled, "Hello! Is there something I can help you with!?!" There was no response, so I walked toward the Pool.

When I was in Jr. High and watched a lot of horror movies, I would yell at the actors for being so stupid. I could never understand why they would walk toward scary people / strange sounds / abandoned buildings. I feel that I need to apologize for being so judgemental. Apparently I have also become that stupid.

As I rounded the corner, I expected to see "the Visitor" standing there. I had just watched this person walk around the building and I hurried toward where the Visitor should have been standing. This was getting very weird. The Visitor wasn't there.

From there, I circled the Rec. Hall, thinking that this person might have walked around the other side. Again, no one.

At that point, I wondered if the Visitor might be inside the Rec. Hall. And if so, why? Why would some strange person, dressed in a long black overcoat have walked into the Rec. Hall on a day like today? The Rec. Hall is a seasonal-use building with no heat. It was barely 15 degrees outside and probably 8 degrees inside the building. I was puzzled, but I walked toward the double-doors that face the playground.

I thought the doors were locked, but apparently they weren't. It was sunny this morning so it took my eyes a second to adjust as I opened the door. At first, I didn't see anything. Then, as my eyes began to focus, I realized that a woman with rotting teeth wearing a long black coat and black hat was standing less than a foot away. I was so startled that I yelled, "Ahhhh!" right in her face.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked. She told me that she was at the camp for the "funeral." I assured her that I didn't know what she was talking about. She again stated that she believed that there was a funeral being held at the camp today and she was there to attend it.

I asked her, "Are you sure you're in the right place?" After talking for another minute, I surmised that she was probably looking for the Methodist Church about 4 miles away. I gave her directions and she left.

So, how was your morning?