Nobody's Place: Haunted

It was just another night at Nobody's Place, my favorite bar. There was a crowd for Karaoke but most of them were present to hear Crystal, the DJ, sing a few songs. Joe, as always, was behind the bar and the big, bad Bo had greeted Bill at the door.

Bill noticed that despite the crowd there did seem to be a bar stool open so he sat down as he was by himself. Joe ambled over and Bill told him he wanted to challenge "the record." This was an old joke between them. The record belonged to Joe and it was twelve years earlier when he set it by drinking ten shots of 100 proof vodka in 32 seconds. Bill tried to beat it once and got sick after finishing in over a minute. Joe laughed and served Bill his usual Heineken.

"Any reports lately?" Bill asked.

"No, yours is still the last one," he replied.

They were talking about the ghost, Alex. About 7 years before, during a fraternity party, a local college student had died in the bathroom after passing out and choking on his own vomit. Hardly an original way for a college student to die, but from time to time since then, Alex has been encountered in the bathroom.

Six months ago Bill's girlfriend broke up with him and he was devastated. He drank, he slept, he drank and he drank some more. One really angst-filled night he tried to drink himself to death. He wasn't really trying but that's how Joe described it and it was almost true.

Late into the night, not quite late enough for the early morning sky to be purple, Bill stumbled into the bathroom. Once there he knew some, or most, of his shots were coming back to haunt him. He tried to make his way to the toilet but couldn't see it quite clearly. Taking a final lunge he smashed his forehead against the back of the bowl.

His next memory should have been the pearly gates but instead there was a blonde-haired, college looking kid standing over Bill who was sitting next to the toilet bowl. He was holding a large wad of paper towels against Bill's forehead while Bill's hair dripped water onto his shirt. He said, "Hi, I'm Alex. You seem to have bumped your head. I pulled your head out of the toilet and if you hold these paper towels I'll go get some help." Bill nodded and Alex walked out of the stall.

Bill sat there, somewhat stunned, and his head throbbed. When he pulled the paper towels away he noticed quite a bit of blood and quickly put them back and closed his eyes. While he sat there he heard a constant banging sound but didn't give it much thought. The next thing he knew Joe was standing there telling him not to worry, he'd called for an ambulance.

Two nights later Bill returned to the bar and thanked Joe for his help. It was early and Crystal and Bo were right there at the bar with him. When Bill asked about Alex there was silence and he watched as the three of them just looked at each other. Joe asked what he meant and Bill told him about the kid who had saved his life. That's when he found out he had been saved by a ghost.

Bill never believed in ghosts before then but after Joe explained who Alex was, and described him, he explained the only reason he found Bill in the bathroom is the door kept opening and banging shut so he had come to investigate. That was the banging Bill heard. Apparently Alex doesn't leave the bathroom but had gone to get help as he had promised.

Bill's never been quite that drunk since, but it's good to know that Nobody's Place has a guardian angel, even if he never leaves the men's room. Alex watched Bill from the bathroom. It was another night in Nobody's Place and Alex wouldn't let anyone repeat his stupidity.