We received the following report from one of our readers in July 2013:


I have a ghost story about Fergus, Ontario.


For years, my husband and I have spent Canada Day weekend at our friend's summer place near Bellwoods.  Last Canada Day weekend, July, 2012, we made our usual trip to our friend's summer home.  We arrived on Saturday.  My friend and I decided to take a short trip into Fergus that day to check out the stores on main street.  When we arrived, most were closed due to the Canada Day weekend.  However, The Bookery on Main Street was open and we decided to enter and explore.


As soon as we entered the store, I asked the sales clerk/manager if they had any books by Gerald Durrell, an author and animal conservationist very active in his work and writing back in the 1950's and early 1960's.  The clerk checked her computer catalogue and told me, no, they have no books by Gerald Durrell.  My friend witnessed this conversation with the clerk as well.


We continued to browse through the store, enjoying many old books which were categorized in a very orderly fashion.  As we browsed, we made our way back to the front of the store, in preparation to leave.  A shelf of old Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and Hardy Boys novels caught my eye.  As I stood there, beside my friend, browsing through these books.  A book fell at my feet.  I bent to pick it up and read the title The Whispering Land, which meant nothing to me, until I read the author, Gerald Durrell.  I was stunned beyond words.  Clearly, there was a helpful spirit in The Bookery that day that knew the inventory of books better than the clerk, and wanted to make sure I left with my Gerald Durrell book.  Which I did.  I'm looking at it right now - it is a very special reminder that we live with ghosts every day, but not everyone has the privilege of engaging with them in some way.



Our thanks and appreciation go out to the witness for sharing this experience with us. Did she encounter a friendly spirit in the shop that day? Was this simple chance and coincidence? As a fellow book lover I do believe this book was meant to belong to her.

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