Preface: The following is based on a real life incident.
Life was a cup of tea for the Masons. They were hard working and enjoyed the fruits of it to the fullest. Family dinners and after dinner walks, Sunday morning family prayers and summers in the beach house – The Masons were particular that they spent as much time together as possible. It was at the breakfast table on a Saturday morning of 1958 that Mr Mason announced a new arrival at home – A Bush 5768 Model B3 television.
Excitement. Laughter. Hop skipping. Hugs. They had never seen a TV up close. The TV arrived and the uniformed men who brought it home did their job well. With dedication and practiced perfection, they explained how the TV should be operated, adding at the end that Bush offered the best after service in town and that they should feel free to call them in case of troubles. The beaming Mr Mason handed them a generous tip while they smiled broader than ever, one of them, noticed Mrs Mason had tobacco-stained teeth.
Soon, this rectangular bulk took over their lives and they huddled around it all day. Favourite shows were soon picked out and within two days, the black-and-white TV became their faithful companion. It was a warm and breezy evening when the Masons sat in front of the TV, waiting for Here’s Lucy to start. The commercials were on and Mr Mason was joking about his boss’ mustache when something strange happened.
A hand – translucent and pale appeared from the screens as the family watched in horror. It floated out from the screen like some ghostly apparition, in pursuit of those in front of it. The Masons were terrified and confused – what in the name of God was that? An engineer was called, for they thought and hoped that it was a fault in their brand new TV. The man sat to work and switched the set on. Within a few minutes, the hand appeared, searching and wriggling. The man broke away, never to be seen or heard of again.
Life was not smooth anymore for the poor Masons – the TV wreaked havoc. It seemed to be breathing, waiting for them to turn it on. At nights, Mrs Mason swore that a low, lunatic laughter echoed in the hall way during her trips to the loo. It tormented them for months, the vicious thing. They finally called the local priest, who readily performed an exorcism.
Their TV was finally free - the ghost that haunted it was dispelled, never to return. The Masons at last got to enjoy their TV and life got back to normal again. But even now, when she tip-toes to the loo at night, Mrs Mason’s ears pick up traces of eerie laughter from the hallway. It’s all your imagination, she chides herself and buries her head deep inside the coverlet.
Image courtesy: ghost-pictures.org
