This is another true story I have experienced..

Before I joined the Army, I was a Military wife.  My husband at that time, was serving in the U.S Navy (before he got out and we both joined the Army).  He was up for change of Duty Station, so he called me and asked me where I would like to go to next (We were currently in Hawaii).  He named off the Countries we could go to, and he also informed me of our mainland duty stations we could go,   I eagerly told him, Japan!  

Deal was locked in, and we started preparing for our move. (yay!).  I was so excited, as I have always had the travel bug in my Genes.. 

We finally arrived in Japan, and Tokyo at night just blew my mind.  It was one of the most gorgeous cities I had ever been to. The people were amazing, and the food was some of the best I had ever eaten.

My husband was assigned to the 7th Fleet, and little did I know, that our son and I, would be doing this tour alone.  As a Military wife, my dedication was on point.  I ran the house while he was away (He was only in port 3 mths out of the year for the 3 yrs we were stationed there), I made sure everything was taken care of and always met the ship in port when they arrived home.  

I got a part time job at the Navy Exchange on base (It was like a department store for Military and DOD).  I had some amazing co workers, and we all got together regularly for dinners, and shopping trips etc.. (Their hubbys would be deployed also). 

So, this one day before we met for dinner, I decided I would try my luck shopping off base and eagerly went to the local mall (just outside post).  I was in the homewares section, and was in the lighting dept when I found these gorgeous lamps.  I am an even number kinda chick, so I had to have 2 of them!  I went home, and set them up in my computer room (the room next to my bedroom).  I was so proud of myself, I finally accomplished shopping in a foreign country without assistance...

That night, about 5 of us girls went out for dinner.  Afterwards, I invited everyone back to my place for coffee, I lived off base, so they were eager to come over for a change of scenary.  As soon as we got there, I rushed everyone upstairs to show them my "amazing" purchase when one of my co workers, who was from Thailand but married to a Japanese man, stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she got to the door.  She asked me if I knew what they were, and I told her "lamps!" and laughed.  She had a look of panic on her face and told me that I had to return them as soon as possible!  I was taken aback and asked her why.  She informed me that the 'gorgeous' lamps I had just purchased are used to trap the dead spirits in the house.  I could feel the blood rushing from my head.  She said when Japanese people are passing, the relatives place their bodies in a Tatami room (A room with a shrine and straw flooring, which was a room I had downstairs next to the lounge room).  She said that before the person dies, they turn on these lamps to keep their spirits in the house.  I unplugged them immediately and put them back in their boxes ready for return the next day.  

The next day, she came with me to get a refund (She spoke fluent Japanese) and helped me get my money back.  I was devastated.. I loved those lamps.

About a month later, my parents came to visit me from Australia.  I come from a Military background, and my mothers father died not long after the war.  One morning, we were sitting downstairs having breakfast, when my son let out a scream from upstairs.  I ran upstairs to see what was going on, and my son told me that he had just seen a 'Ghost' in his mirror.  I asked him what the ghost looked like, and he told me that he couldnt see a face, but the rest of the 'ghost' looked a man wearing Military uniform.  My mother asked him a few more questions in regards to the 'ghost' when he told her, she burst into tears.  My mother claimed it was her dead father...

My parents finally left, and things seemed to return to normal.  I had just dropped my son off at school (he went to the DOD school on base), and I got home and made a coffee, then went into the computer room to check out Facebook.  Not long after I sat down, the door slammed shut.  I had a little dog at the time, a little Australian Silky Terrier we named Ozzy.  He starting barking uncontrollably by the door, growling and just what seemed like protecting me kind of behaviour.  I got up and went to open the door to see what he was fussing about, when the door wouldnt open.  (I turned and turned that damn handle, but it just wasnt budging).  We had a balcony off the computer room, that ran to our bedroom next door.  No problem I thought, I would just open the sliding door and walk down to our bedroom and open the door from the outside..  Easy huh?  Wrong, very wrong!...  The sliding door wouldnt open.  It was a 2 story house, so climbing out the window wasnt going to help me, unless I was spiderwoman!  I walked back over to the door and tried the handle again..  To no avail.. At this point, I was starting to panic and the dog just wouldnt stop barking.  After about 5 mins of trying, I started to cry, I didnt know what to do.  My phone was in the bedroom charging, so I couldnt even make a call for someone to come get me.  I remember saying while crying hysterically, please just open this F$#@ing door!  All of a sudden, I tried the handle again, and poof, it just opened like it was never stuck...  I ran and got my phone off the charger and ran downstairs with the dog, who at this point was still barking and went to my friends place until I had to get my son from school.  I was petrified to return.  After about 18mths of putting up with things going on, I asked my hubby if we could move on base, he agreed and preferred I was on base instead of being off post.  The day we were leaving, my son and I were waiting by the front door while hubby did one more check, I remember yelling at him to hurry up, my hubby is slowwwwww, as my son kept saying he could see something at the top of the stairs.  As my hubby walked down the stairs to leave, my son and I, witnessed something push my hubby down the stairs to the front door.  Luckily my hubby caught his fall, but if he didnt, it couldve ended horribly.  Thank God the last of our time there went unhitched...  Our little beloved Ozzy, died of a heart attack not long after we moved, was it connected?  who knows, all I knew is we were safe....for the time being that is...