Room Unknown

My husband T. and I stayed at the Jerome Grand Hotel in 1998. It was off season and it was our first trip as a couple. We were in a standard room and there were very few guests. At about midnight we heard what sounded like clanging and banging on pipes. Being more silly than brave we decided to walk about each of the floors. We concluded our walk about by taking the stairs to the lobby.

By the time we headed down the stairs we were convinced there was no haunting. As we came down the stairs we saw two men on the landing. It was the second landing up from the lobby. One man was wearing a grey mechanics style jumpsuit. He was kneeling on the ground with a leather looking bag filled with wooden handled tools at his side. With him was a second man with brown hair and a handlebar moustache. He wore a pageboy hat, slacks, long sleeve shirt and a vest. He was leaning forward and pointing to a hole in the wall the first man was working on.

As I reached the landing they both turned to face me. They appeared serious as both nodded as if to greet me in the way that courteous strangers say hello to each other. I nodded back and mumbled "good evening."

The night clerk was surprised to see someone up so late; or so she said as walked up and said "hi." "You're up late" she greeted me. I told her about the clanging on the pipes and the men on the landing.

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow and sternly stated, "There are no workers working on pipes or anything. It's midnight, I haven't seen anyone but you." I again stated my case for my insomnia. "I'm the only one here right now, nobody has been working on any pipes."

I head up the stairs, sheepishly. As I reached the landing I saw, no one. No tools, no hole in the wall. It was as if they'd never been there.

And so I've returned. And so I shall see if I see them again.

M. L.