A Chat With Geoff, an Actual Ghost-Believer, in Which I Clearly Care About Ghosts a Lot More Than He Does
Esther: I’ve never done a chat interview before, so let’s start. ASL? Just kidding! Maybe you could tell me about yourself, just so the readers can get an idea of the sort of person you are?
Geoff: OK, well, I’m 33, live in NYC, I work in advertising, running the gaming department across North America for one of the largest agencies in the world. I keep a very small, close, trusted group of friends. I like movies, sports, and entertainment, and prefer lightheartedness to serious or sad themes and topics.
E: SO!
G: SO!
E: Ghosts!
G: Ghosts.
E: Have you always believed in them? Or was there maybe an event or a series of events that led you to it?
G: Well, I think that the unknown has always been an area of curiosity for me, so at a young age, I would always find that sort of stuff to be interesting. I started to feel that there were so many stories out there, that they cannot all be false.
E: Ahh. All this evidence! Do you remember a certain story that maybe seemed extra real to you?
G: Not really. Just all of the ones I’d read about in books when I was younger made me think that they probably exist.
E: What about other supernatural sorts of things? Or like, the Occult?
Or is that totally separate?
G: Someone said to me recently that they believe in energy “left behind”. I think that’s a good way to put it. In terms of the Occult, that’s not something that I think about as much.
E: Right. And when you were younger, were you scared?
G: Scared of ghosts? Oh yeah. Still am.
E: Yeah?
G: Oh yeah, I don’t want to encounter that stuff.
E: Have you ever?
G: No, knock on wood.
E: So are there specific situations where you might become worried about ghosts? Even though you haven’t had a ghost experience?
G: I still find specific environments to be creepy. Old houses or apartment buildings, the woods, stuff like that.
E: Your own apartment, ever?
G: My apartment is definitely creepy, and I freak myself out. But ultimately, no, I feel pretty okay here.
E: If there was a ghost there, would you move?
G: Fuck. Yes.
E: I think the same thing about if I saw like, a mouse in my apartment. I would move.
G: Hahahaha
E: What specific things are creepy to you, in those houses and apartments? Or is it just a ghostly vibe you might get?
G: I’d say shadows and sounds. “Just a vibe” is a good way to put it.
E: Right. What do ghosts look like? How do you imagine them to look, or manifest physically or whatever.
G: Ummm, in the image of their physical being.
E: Can a ghost pass as a real person?
G: I dont think so, but then again, I’ve never encountered one.
E: Do you ever think about ghosts in maybe a positive way? Like a kind ghost or maybe the ghost of a deceased relative who just misses you, or wants to check up on you, or… TELL YOU SOMETHING(!!!)
G: Um, not really. And I don’t think ghosts necessarily have a bad agenda. Again, more just like an energy that I would just not prefer to even really come into contact with.
E: Is it ever like, sexy? Is there the idea of sexy ghosts?
G: I don’t think the idea is sexy.
E: It’s funny, I don’t believe in ghosts (I think?) but even so, within the IDEA of the belief, I believe in the possibility for all these kinds of ghosts.
Definitely nice and funny ghosts, things like that. And can I ask you another question? So, my background is a religious one, where it’s a given that you believe in God, and that belief also comes with the belief of things like souls and angel and heaven, and things like that. A few months ago I sort of became fixated on the idea that MAYBE belief in all of that is exactly the same as believing in ghosts? So, do you believe in God?
G: Yes, I do. I believe in God as a guiding presence and judge of all people. I also believe that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people, be it here on earth or in the afterlife.
E: So for you, pre-ghosts, there already existed this idea of believing in other presences? Are those ideas connected for you, God ideas and ghost ideas?
G: Not really.
E: Why not? Like if maybe some guy died but had unfinished business here and ended up as a ghost, and that God made that decision or something? Or is the idea of God much more abstract and detached from that?
G: Yeah, for me it’s more detached.
E: Do you fear BECOMING a ghost?
G: Ummm, no, I don’t. Do you?
E: No. I mean, there are days when I totally believe in the whole system of God and an afterlife and spirits and the idea of being in a situation where you’re dead but can look down on everyone still alive and maybe wonder about needing to tell one of them something, or just wanting to communicate, or whatever. I wonder if that’s just another way of saying, “I believe in ghosts!”? Semantics! Do you consider yourself a spiritual person at all, whatever that might mean to you?
G: Yes, very spiritual.
E: I wonder if believing in ghosts just comes along with believing in God??? Like if even though it’s not the same thing, maybe it sort of IS all the same thing?
G: Perhaps. Though they are on two different levels
E: I guess I should wrap this up! Before we finish, I just wanted to know, even if you haven’t had any legit ghost encounters, have you had anything? Little moments, or specific fears of a time or place, or a sound or something? ANECDOTE.
G: Oh, I’m not a fan of the dark.
E: How do you deal with that? Like do you leave a light on at night, or something?
G: I do.
E: Is it in your room? OR is it the corridor outside your door or something, and you keep you bedroom door ajar to let light in? I just want to get an idea of your night light situation
G: I keep the bathroom light on and keep the door slightly ajar. brb!
E: Did you like THE 6TH SENSE?
G: Of course!
Thanks, Geoff!
Esther C. Werdiger wants to believe.
