I had this experience on my fourth and last business trip to Australia. The story is absolutely true. It didn’t happen to a friend or co-worker. It happened to me.

I am not a ghost chaser, and nothing like this has happened to me prior or since in any place I’ve ever been – including in my head.

– – – –

And It Woke Me Up

And it woke me up

Little boy talking from far corner of room 1271

Daddy (closer) … Daddy (closer) … Daddy (close)

Soft Australian dialect a startling 2AM wake-up call

Awake from an only-dream relieved dark eyes open

…

Eyes open waking state in dark wait for other callings

Please let me be asleep dreaming please let me be asleep

Eyes blinking legs moving hands moving under cover no full awake

Dark silent just me dark silent

Dark then

…

Depressing mattress at my left shoulder

Weight-shift compression

Spring-pop

Whisper-carried warm breath-blow in my left ear

Daddy …

…

Small something press-slide across covers shoulder-shake

I am awake in the dark I am awake

Shrug-armed thing throw off covers to waist bare

Feel then turn on night stand lamp

Sit up night stands a light-cast figure

…

Weight of body leaning into this world

Black shorts crisp white shirt buttoned to neck short black tie hair brown stubby little fingers

Eyes unknown never seen

Climbs in

Vanish gone not soon enough

…

Gone? Cover-thrown bed-jump until all lights on

Turn on up loud happy cartoon channel please sun please sun

Wide awake big chair stare hours at empty bed or not 

Soft Australian dialect a startling 6AM wake-up call

I’m awake I say I’m awake I say I’m awake

…

I think of you often and almost miss you

I wonder how you are who you are and were 

Frightening or frightened or like me both

Do you feel cold pain need attention new clothes or money

Or just lack love

…

You proved we are not alone in our worlds 

If that’s not enough I’m sorry

I checked out on you

I scared you away

Do we have each other’s eyes

…

And it woke me up

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