Little Joe

Supernatural Stories | Feb 1, 2012 | 4 min read
136 Votes, average: 4 out of 5

For the last 12 years or so, I have worked in an historic mansion.  We are always busy, always have visitors: sometimes clients, sometimes people just wanting to look around at the old house, and sometimes the previous residents of the home.  This is the story of one of those residents, written with his approval.




Little Joe


Virginia Bryant and Helen Chapman


What's wrong with these people? I talk and I talk, but no body pays me no never mind.

I been in dis here house what seems like forever. Dem two little girls, dey don't never give me no peace, neither. Dey be my sisters, but I wish dey'd leave me be. Ain't my fault my mama worked in the kitchen while de'ah mama owned my mama.

I don't know why dem nasty girls're here. I remember all dem white folks mourning them, how they died from the Yellow Jack that summer. But they never went away. They run around, and get into trouble, and I get blamed.

Sometimes, I get tired of nobody paying me no mind. That's when I likes to play tricks on them. They got some kind of holder full of cards with lots of scribblings on them. Don't know what they say or what good they be, but sometimes, I just grab me a bunch of them cards when no one is around. Lord, don't them ladies have conniptions when they can't find their stuff! I laugh and laugh. That's when they get that funny look on their faces.

Things sure have changed here. Now dey got dese lamps you don't never have to strike no match to light. Them ladies just pulls a string, and dem lights glow like dey got a white hot coal inside, like it be magic or some'at. And they got these boxes on their tables that get pictures on 'em, and where they touch some sort of buttons and letters show up on a fancy lit up wall. Dey gots dese other boxes with a arm on them. They make a real loud screech like some old hooty owl, then somebody picks up de arm of the fool thing and talks into it, like it was a person. Sometimes I hear one of the ladies talk about 'em. Dey calls dem a Tell A Foam or some such. Dat must be what dey doing, is telling it 'bout some foam. Dem white ladies is weird.

Well, not all a'dem. Ever' so often, one of dem looks up, like she can see me. One day, I went visitin'. Usually, I jest stays up here, up where them nasty little girls and me used to sleep, or sometimes I go down to da second floor where de ladies work at the magic wall and play. But I wanted to see my mama, so I went downstairs. I played on the steps, like I al'lus do. The steps us folks got to use is at the back. It's real steep and skinny, just like the ones that go up to where me and them nasty girls sleep. I like to see how many steps I can jump down at one time without missin'. Mammy al'lus fussed at me for doin' it. Mama don't say nothin', but the last time Mammy catched me, she whooped me good. Maybe she whoops me cause Miss Sarah won't let her whoop them nasty girls, even though they needs it. No fussin' or whooping never did stop me. No siree. I reckon I be de best jumper in on the place.

Mammy's al'us been so mean. She make me stay with them mean girls, won't let me go play with the other chilluns in the quarters out back. Ain't no fair. Them chilluns in the quarters gets to play and run and laugh, while I'm stuck up here in the big house steppin' and fetchin' for them nasty girls. And all they want to do is dress me up and play baby when they wants to play their girly games.

Anyway, the day I wanted to see my Mama, I went downstairs. I went into the little room where Mama set up the food for the fambly's supper table. I swa'n, that room done changed. They used to have a table in there where Mama put the food. Now der's a bunch of funny looking cold white things. One of them is a sort of round chair with a hole in the middle. Miss Sarah had one upstairs that sorta looked like it, but it had a thunder mug under the seat. This one has water in it. (I touched my finger in that water one day. It surely was cold, but it don't taste good at all. I made such a face Mama told me I'd stick that way if'n I did it again. Don't worry. I never did.)

Well, while I was waitin' for Mama, that nice white lady from upstairs done come in. I hid in the corner, but when she dropped her linen and set on that cold white chair, I couldn't help but giggle. I swan, this is the first time I think any of the folks see'd me. She looked at where I was standin' and told me to be a gentleman and to turn around. Reckon she heard me that time too.

Dis be da nice lady who leaves me fudge. I dun tell'd ya, I like to play pranks on dese folk. But after I took some papers off table, she tell'd me I best be bringin' them back, and she den put out a plate of the goodest fudge candy I ever did have. Why, it even had walnuts in it, as if'n it was Christmas.

Well, ever since that day, I don't try and trick that nice lady no more. I like to stand behind her sometimes though. Don't know why, but whenever I come 'round, she puts on a jacket or puts something 'round her neck like she feels a chill. Wonder why?

 

 

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Reviews

Lily Howlett Sep 3, 2013

Wow. From reading the story and the comments, you have your own ghost. LUCKY!

Belinda k Mar 23, 2012

I loved the story when you talked about Joe, and I still love it now that it's written. Just thought I'd right my wrong of not telling you before. MUCH LOVE, RANGER

Subha Feb 24, 2012

honestly a good story.

Helen Chapman Feb 2, 2012

Thank you Kayla. And Joe says thanks too. He's reading over my shoulder right now.

Akshay Feb 2, 2012

wonderful story...

Helen Chapman Feb 4, 2012

Thank you Akshay. Joe is so pleased that he's a celebrity now. He pesters me some days to open this page so he can see his story.

Kayla Feb 1, 2012

I like it.. :)

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