I loved that old house. When I became the project co-chairman I was given a set of keys and placed to the alarm call list because I live closer than anyone else. I would open it during the Summer to air it out, and I learned to navigate the interior in near pitch dark conditions.

Despite the fact that others have seen images of a little girl that he daughter of the former owner and her dog at various places and times around the property. I never in all my time there, ever saw anything.

There are numerous funny stories associated with my involvement with the project. One of the funniest was when four of the little Junior High school actresses rushed me one evening and held a mirror to my face. They wanted to see if I cast a reflection. When I stopped laughing I asked why they were concerned.

They explained they never saw me in the daylight. When they arrived for evening I was already there and they'd never seen me leave. This fact combined with my knowledge of supernatural, paranormal and vampire lore in general made them suspicious.
Over the years I have had fun with my fellow and sister volunteers at their expense. It was during the building phase that two of the best times come to mind. After the work had ceased for the night I pretended to leave, but hid my car and slunk back inside unseen and unheard.

I took up a hiding place and raised my voice about three octaves and made a variety of noises to attract their attention. Whoooo, heeeey and a occasional quick dog yelp were heard. I watched from various hiding places as a group of about ten attempted nervously track down and see a ghost.

They nearly caught me once ,but I heard their shoes creak the stairs and their whispers just in time. I darted into the first room I came to and realized this not a good choice, this was the mannequin storage room.

It was in the basement and the room was not that big so there was no decent place to hide and they were close for me to attempt to leave.

My solution? I simply sat on the floor amid the various limbs and torsos and used them along with some old newspaper to cover my legs and feet. A piece of tarp covered my upper body, arms and head.

It took a serious concentrated effort not to laugh as they mused about the happenings, they were less that one foot away and the small holes in the tarp allowed me to see the anxious looks on their faces.

I was eventually caught when another volunteer came in looking for me. He was informed by the others that I had already left. When he informed them that my car was parked behind the garage they were no longer fearful of pursuing a spirit. They moved much faster and caught me attempting to seek a new hiding place.

This topic was brought up again about a week later at the end of another work call. I informed them that the only reason they'd found me was because I moved.

"If I'd have stayed put you would still be looking for me," I informed them.

With that statement the gauntlet had been flung and an impromptu game of Hide and Seek commenced. The seekers were to wait downstairs for five minutes before attempting to locate me.

Because they were so determined to find me at all costs I had to choose a much harder-to-find location. I chose the room decorated in a jungle motif. Donated by a large department store these decorations had been used through the store and their large display windows as part of their Summer advertising.

It required a tractor-trailer to deliver all trees, leaves, plants and flowers and the room was literally chocked with flora and fauna. I simply sat in a corner the furthest from the railing that separated the patrons from the actors and covered myself with the leaves, it was not the brightest idea.

They were very dusty having been in place for two years. I was so well hidden that they walked by me several times. One of the searchers even jumped the railing into the room and checked out the side room whose entrance was covered with a curtain of flowers, it's where the monster would lay in wait.

Shortly after the search began, Bunney, the stunning blond that co-assisted me in running the house entered the room. A former fashion model her trim figure and almost white blond hair took the breath away from many a male she encountered and caused many a corporate sponsor to give us anything we wanted while he drooled.

She had stopped by to inform me about an up coming radio spot. He chatted for a few minutes on the subject with her behind railing and me from my hiding place. Finally in her soft sweet voice and in perfect college syntax she informed me that she not engage in conversation with a room. I was to call her when I arrived at home.

For the next two hours I remained in my hiding place watching my fellow volunteers, who would not admit defeat, walked by me either alone or in a group. As before I would occasionally issue a shout to attract their attention and watched in amusement as they passed by several times amid mutterings that he must be in the walls. 

Again one of the Seekers jumped the railing into the room, as he had done that earlier.However this time he explored the corners and discovered me. They all admitted that I had won.

 Not all the great stories happened at the house.

I was driving home from an appearance in my Dracula costume and makeup when I developed car trouble and managed to pull to the side of the road. So there I was in broad daylight in a tails tux and full make-up with the hood up trying to figure out what happened.

A van pulled up and two individuals exited. By their glassy and blood shot eyes and the sweet cloying smell of marijuana on their clothing and hair they had just recently enjoyed a joint. They managed to get the car running and I gave them ten dollars for stopping.

 "You guys want to ask me something? I said when I noticed them staring.

 "Are you dress as Dracula? one of them asked.

When I answered "Yes," they seemed relieved.

It seems they had been doing some serious smoking and weren't sure what they saw was real. I laughed about it all the way home.