Passing into Spirit

Mrs Marion Walker

1989

Supernatural, Spiritual, spooky, you can call it what you will but odd things do occur. This event happened before my mothers death in August 1989.

My Mams home was in the North of Scotland, where I was born. She was eighty years old and very independent although she lived in sheltered accommodation. Her white cat was her companion and I suspect had more of her food than she did as it was very fat. The cat loved to play with the alarm cords for calling the warden so they were tied up out of the way. This proved to be Mams undoing as she had an accident but couldnt reach the cord in her bedroom. A relative realised something was wrong so she was rescued and taken to the hospital. Mam had in fact suffered a stroke.

As the days passed her condition deteriorated and she was unable to walk. This caused a terrible dilemma as my mother was determined she would never go into a care home. She was going to need nursing care. There was also the problem of the cat. Mam apparently had said that she when she died she wanted the cat put to sleep and buried with her. As she had never mentioned this to me I was going to ignore it. Why take the life of a cat if I could find it a new home? Besides, I didnt think burying the cat with her would have been legal.

On this particular day Mam and I were left alone in a small waiting room in the hospital. We were talking quietly together and as she was speaking to me she suddenly stopped, stared, and said Your Granny is standing beside you. Gazing at what was an empty space on my right side she tipped her head sideways as if she was listening carefully to someone talking to her. She looked puzzled for a moment or two, and then just as suddenly switched her attention back to me as if nothing had happened. I was curious so I asked her what my Granny had said but she didnt reply. There was something she couldnt understand though by the expression on her face.

I left her soon after, first making sure she was comfortable in her chair. Maybe it was possible that my Granny had come to reassure my Mam that she would be met as she left this world. Had she been told the time had come? I drove back to the house wondering what was going to happen next.

My mother lived in a bungalow which was very near to a pub. She was always complaining about the drunks going past so she was careful about locking doors. Just going out to the coal shed could be annoying as the door was locked before you got back in with the coal. I did take note of what she said though and as I was living in her house for a short time I too made sure the doors were locked.

Nothing more could be done so I had tea and watched television for a while. The fire was stoked up and would keep going overnight. I made up the bed settee as I had already dismantled the bed ready to be taken away. After having a bath and making a hot cup of Horlicks I settled down to read the library book I had brought with me.

I cant remember what the book was about but it did have Candle in the title. It was a good book and took my mind off the problems, one of which was where I was going to find a home for my mothers cat. It was at that time in a local cattery and I was desperately advertising for a new owner.

Just after eleven oclock at night I was startled by a scuffling sound which seemed to come from under the dining room table which was in the same room as the settee. Telling myself that I must have imagined it I went back to my book. Then I heard another sound in the small lobby outside the sitting room. It sounded almost like my Mam in her bachles, shuffling through the house and ushering the cat ahead of her with her walking stick.

The sound was getting louder and louder and then stopped outside the door. My hair was by then standing on end! I couldnt make up my mind whether I would hide under the bedclothes or investigate the sound. Not being able to stand the suspense I shot out of bed and threw the door open to find nothing there. Nerves jangling, I cautiously went through the house bit by bit but the doors and windows were shut and locked and there wasnt anyone around. There wasnt even a breath of wind!

How I wished there had been some Whisky in the house. I promised myself I would buy a small bottle in the morning as soon as the shops opened. It needed more than Horlicks to calm my nerves. I phoned my husband who was at home and told him what had happened. It was nice to hear his voice but he did ask me if Id had one too many. No, I replied, but I will tomorrow night.

I left the bedside light on for the rest of the night. I wondered if there really was such a thing as an out of the body experience. Could Mam have been having a last look at her house? If so then she wouldnt have meant any harm. Reassured by that thought I eventually dropped off to sleep.

My dear Mam died a few days later. Hopefully she was met by the people who loved her. As for the cat, I found a home for it on a farm. Strangely it died exactly three weeks later, so joining his mistress in Spirit.