True Ghost Tales

Billiard Table

My grandparents andfather lived in Sapulpa, Oklahoma at the time of this story whichoccurs in the early 1950's. My father attended school in Sapulpaand this story occured in an all but abandoned house across thestreet from his school. I have no idea if the house is stillstanding but I can probably find out someday if anyone isinterested.

As I said my father was 12 or 13 at this time and a few of hisfriends and he would often go across the street to this old houseon thier lunch break or go there and skip school entirely. Thehouse was vacant and not maintained but it was not completelyabandoned in that the owner had not removed all the furnishingsand attempted to keep it locked up. Apparently my father and hisbuddies had discovered a way to unlock the back door.

The house was a bit strange. The current owner (the originalowner had died leaving it to a relative) had removed most but notall of the furnishings. There was one or two chairs inside, theback porch, which was screened in, had stacks of boxes with oldnewspapers, comic books, and magazines in them as well as one boxwith nothing but harmonicas in it. I know it sounds wierd butyes, nothing but harmonicas, some were old and rusted, some werenew and serveral inbetween. Why the old owner had so many and whythe new owner left them there is anyone's guess. Needless to saythis box of harmonicas and comics was a great find for a group ofyoung boys looking for something to do other than being properlyeducated. But the really strange part of this house was one roomupstairs in the back center of the house. There was a doorleading into this room but no windows or other opening forventilation. Even stranger was what was inside the room. Abilliard table.

Perhaps the new owner had not removed this billiard table becauseit would have to be dismantled to get it out of the door, also itshould be noted the table was not in prime condition. There wereseveral tears and scratches in the table. Why the original ownerhad placed a game table in such an out of the way portion of thehouse with no windows is anyone's guess. This of course was theREAL FIND for this bunch of young boys. They spent many hourshere at this house playing with the harmonicas and with the table.But, strange as it may seem, they played billiards only rarelypreferring to sit on the back porch talking and playing with theharmonicas. My father said most of them would always get strangefeelings of dread when in the small room. Besides there was noelectrical power so even when they did wish to play there theywould have to plan ahead and sneak candles from home.

At any rate, despite the dark and the dread they did play therefrom time to time. One day my father and two other boys skippedschool entirely and spent the morning on the back porch chattingand playing as usual. After lunch they headed up to the room toplay billiard, two of them had brought candles for the occasion.They played uneventfully for an hour or two and then prepared toleave. As always they racked the balls on the table and left themready for play for the next time. My father and one of hisfriends retrieved the candles, the other boy had already gonedownstairs, headed out the door with my father's other friendbringing up the rear. Suddenly my father heard the sound of theballs being broken and scattered on the table. My father said hefelt his spine chill and started to turn to look behind him buthis friend was already pushing him from behind so they both randownstairs and out the door not even bothering to lock up.

My father said his friend insisted he had not touched the tablein any way. My father believed him, first because he saw howscared he had been, he was visibly shaken and second because hisfriend had been right on his heels as they left the room. Therewas quite a bit of space between the table the the surroundingwalls and he thinks his friend would not have had time to createthe disturbance and then cross the distance from the table to mydad without being caught in the act because my father had startedto turn as soon as he heard the noise.

My father said neither he nor his friends ever went back to thehouse, not even to lock it back up.