Night Visiting

The air is different. Fresher, cooler, purer. The air feels like something is happening. There is another feeling. They are close. The ones I lost.

I walk through a field. Already dew is forming on the blades of grass. The moon is full. How apt. I can see my way clearly. A fox watches me from the corner. He is well hidden. He knows that I know he is there.

I reach the ditch and climb over it. I am on a road. I know this road. I turn right and follow the twists and turns. In the distance I can hear fireworks and dogs howling.

Lights creep around the corner. A four-wheel drive follows. They do not dim their lights nor pull out from the ditch. And yet I think they put their foot on the brake for a moment. Then they probably shook their head and wondered why.

I reach a row of houses. There is activity here. Parents and older siblings are shepherding groups of children from house to house. They are dressed as witches, vampires, superheroes and other random characters. Some have gone old school with the black plastic bags. I smile. I used to take my daughter trick or treating, and even went with my grandchildren a few times. I walk on. They cannot see me, except perhaps the very young who won’t say anything about it because they haven’t learned to think it odd. Sometimes they even smile. The older ones are excited with their sweets and costumes and being out with their friends.

I pass Nancy Fleming going the other direction. She stops for a chat.

‘I think I just saw your grandson Nancy, Timmy makes a fine spiderman. Did Cathy make that?’

‘She did I’d say, she gets better with my old Singer every year. I saw them earlier alright, I’m going to head down and check on my brother now.’

‘He’d be a good age.’

‘He would. I think he senses me more every year.’

‘It’s getting closer so.’

‘It is.’

‘At least he’ll have you to greet him.’ Nancy nods her head.

‘I’ll let you go now Andrew, but a gang of us are going to have a Ceilí in the old school later on if you want to join us.’

‘I will Nancy, I’ll see you later on.’

I reach a red iron gate. Usually it would be closed but tonight it is left open. The neighbour’s dog barks. I’m not sure if it because of me. I walk up the path. The cat comes towards me. She purrs and rubs against my leg. I didn’t like cats all that much, when I was alive. I love them now. From what I can tell all animals can see us, but the cats greet us.

There is a table outside the door. They have left out sweets, nuts, and apples.

I look in the window. My daughter, Yvonne, is there. She is supervising as the children bob for apples. There’s a haul of sweets on the table behind her. They must’ve done their trick or treating earlier. Sophie is dressed as a princess and Anthony is a wizard. Sophie manages to get one of the apples, Yvonne cheers. My son in law walks in with two cups of tea.

Some of the older ones tell me that the living used to be able to see us, but they’ve forgotten how. Their senses aren’t as sharp under the electric light and they don’t listen as closely. I’m not giving out, I can’t say I was very good at seeing ghosts myself. Ghosts…is that what we are? When someone is nearing death they start to see you, but it brings them comfort, not fear.

I hear footsteps behind me. It is my wife, Martha. They knew she was going when she started talking to me.

She joins me at the window. I hold her hand. We watch for a few more minutes.

‘Nancy says there’s a Ceilí in the old school, do you want to go?’

‘I do,’ she says. We take two apples from the table and eat them as we walk down the road.

Billy Hurley meets us at the door.

‘Have ye any tickets?’ I look at him, puzzled.

‘Nancy didn’t mention-‘

‘I’m joking, I’m joking,’ he says, laughing to himself. ‘Get in there.’

‘He hasn’t changed a bit,’ whispers Martha when we enter the school room.

‘In his case I don’t know is it a good or a bad thing.’ 

The committee have put together a fine event. There’s a table at the side with tea and sandwiches and a band setting up at the top of the room. I realise with a start that my father is on the accordion. He gives me a gentle nod. Nancy comes over and says hello, as well as some of our other old neighbours.

The music starts. We dance three sets, three figure dances, and a waltz. That’s one thing about being dead, you don’t get tired.

‘Would the living not hear us, if they were passing by?’ I ask Nancy.

‘Most only hear the wind. But a rare few can hear the music. They think it’s the fairies though and keep walking, briskly.’

‘What would happen if they did walk in?’

‘Nothing. Either they’d start to doubt themselves and see nothing, or they’d have a fantastic night, but no-one’d ever believe them.’

‘Do the fairies have a Halloween party?’

‘Oh you can be sure, some of the older crowd go to that one instead, they say we’re too young for them.’

Nancy’s husband Lawrence comes over.

‘How are you enjoying your first Samhain Andy?’

‘Very well Lawrence, it’s good to see you.’

‘Martha you’re here too, I didn’t realise,’ he says as she joins the group.

‘She couldn’t live without me,’ I say with a wink.

The music comes to a close. Marjory Moynihan announces that the sun is starting to come up. I give my father a wave, he waves back. We will talk in time. We have eternity.

Hand and hand Martha and I walk outside towards the sun.

Signs of the living slowly disappear.

But that’s alright.

We will see them again next year.