Tony's Ghost

From: Ann Gambino (agamb@erols.com)
Story type: Ghost
Location: Yonkers, New York
Source: Form Submission

Tony was the youngest in the family of 5 kids. And the least likely to have an imaginary friend, surrounded as he was by loving and attentive siblings. He was unusual in one respect though, he didn't talk until after his third birthday - not a word, not a sound. But, he was sure a happy little redhaired boy.

The winter after he began to speak, we could hear him talking late at night in his room. Laughing and playing, recounting his day's fun - with someone. When asked, he would reply quite simply that he was playing with the "kid in the white coat".

Soon, the Kid in the White Coat was visiting Tony during the day too. You should know at this point that the house we all grew up in was about 100 years old at that time, a beautiful old Victorian with lots of rooms, stained glass windows, attics and basements and cellars, even a tower and library. Wonderful house for a visit from a ghost. Tony and his friend would play for hours. One day, Mom heard an argument - Tony, little redhaired boy, was insisting that this was his house and that the lady upstairs was his mother and these were his toys. Mom called down to him and he came up from the basement announcing that he would not play with that kid again.

It was quiet for a few days. Then, the situation seemed to resolve itself and Tony was back to talking and playing with his Kid in the White Coat.

Just before school started the year Tony would start, the attic was infested with squirrels. An exterminator was called and all of us - with varying degrees of interest ranging from the grotesque (oldest brother) to tearful (soft-hearted sister) waited for the results of the massacre. The man called down to get your parents, kids - we rushed to do so - and he said that there was a picture up here - did they want it? Folks said yes and were told it was big and heavy. The exterminator handed this picture down to the waiting parents and big brother. It was an oil painting about 2 ft. by 4 ft. with a big, ornate, gilded frame and heavy glass front. As it changed hands, Tony walked around and announced that it was a picture of the Kid in the White Coat. We all rushed to see. It was an oil portrait of a boy, about 12 years old dressed in an altar boy's clothing.

It should be noted that when the parents looked up the two old sisters who had been the only remnants of the original family to see if they wanted the portrait back, their response was that they hadn't seen that picture in 60 or 70 years since their father had it put in the attic after the boy had died in a small fire shortly after it had been painted. They preferred it stay with our family. Where there were children.

Tony still remembers the Kid. Remembers speaking with him until sometime in his early teens when he stopped visiting. But, the picture never hangs straight. Especially if there are little ones in the house.