Just Don't Go in the Bathroom

From: Joanne (whitenoisecanada@lycos.com)
Story type: Ghost
Location: Downtown Toronto
Source: Form Submission

My most vivid experience with the paranormal occurred in a Toronto rooming house located near the corner of Dundonald and Church Street on the north side of Dundonald (by the way, if you like, you are more than welcome to post the following account on your website). The home was a three-story building that one may describe as dilapidated. A large brown building with a black tar roof. Once inside, the corridors were quite narrow and dimly lit. The halls were white with scuffmarks peppered at various heights, a reminder I suppose of the various tenants that were constantly moving in and out. There was, if I recall correctly, 8 units to each floor. Each unit was a small one room with a washroom and hot plate, modest to say the least. The unit I had my experience in was in the room at the front of the house on the second floor.

The room I am referring to was quite small, about 10ft wide by 13ft long. It had a 4ft. x 6ft bathroom and a sunken closet. There were two windows in the room, one that faced south looking onto Dundonald Street and one facing east looking onto the patio of a restaurant. I had spent many a night in the room previously without disturbance. However, I will not deny that the room, and the building in general, did leave me feeling uneasy more than a few of times.

One evening while staying over I experienced something I never had before. During the course of my sleep I had rolled over and cracked my eyes open, normally I do not do this so why I did I am unsure all I know is that I did, and what I saw next would never leave me. As my eyes slowly peeled open I saw a figure sitting across from me cross-legged on the floor. The figure was a yellowish-or dirty white color. It looked like a male, with long stringy hair about shoulder length, lanky limbs and modest clothes, perhaps jeans and a long sleeve shirt. His hands rested on his knees, his head straight and looking directly at me for a few moments. Then his head cocked to one side, as if he was unsure of what to make of me. He then got up and moved towards the bathroom. I do not remember actually seeing him move step by step from the position on the floor to the bathroom but instead seeing him take one step and then he moved through the closed bathroom door and I am assuming into the bathroom.

Well, you can imagine I was terribly frightened by what I saw. In a panic I turned back to my partner, whose was actually the renter of the room, and in a huffed voice I said "I just saw..." and before I could finish my sentence and describe what I had just witnessed my partner cut me off and said "Did it go into the bathroom?" "I replied affirmatively and they said "Just don't go into the bathroom." And rolled back over and went to sleep.

I thought what!?! Huh!?! You knew about this and did not tell me. Well I gathered my things and dashed off into the night to my own apartment. Far away from whatever was going on in that bathroom and that building.

There have been other occurrences in that room and the building. I returned a few weeks later and was horsing around with my then beau when we suddenly heard a heavy man's grunt from behind. Neither one of us made the noise and we could not figure a "logical" source for it. As well, in the basement I rented a room for a short while where a friend was staying with me. One morning while at work she stayed behind only to be woken up by and elderly couple leaning over her with their mouths moving but no sounds coming out. I moved out a week later. I have also been told by a former tenant that there is a gentleman that wanders the basement floor of the building, I have not personally seen this specter nor have I heard any reports from any of the other tenants about this individual.

BTW I am doing research on individuals who they themself have expereinced an paranormal encounter for a new TV series. If you would like to be considered for the show please send me an e-mail describing your encounter, location, and contact details to whitenoisecanada@lycos.com it would be greatly appreciated.