When I run down the list of places that I recommend for finding paranormal activity, two-year old mobile homes are not among them. But one thing I have learned over the years is that you can never discount anything.

Our story begins like most in this business with a phone call from a person searching for answers to explain the unnerving events that were occurring in the house. From the first conversation Nancy and I, founders Maine Paranormal Research Association, learned that six months ago, the couple in their early thirties along with their three kids, ages 9 years, 18 months and a 7 months, moved into a mobile home. Shortly thereafter they began to experience what they politely described as unfriendly paranormal activity. Utensils were tossed around the kitchen, the sound of banging on walls resonated from empty rooms. The family pets started to act strangely. The birds went crazy, and would chirp and flap in their cage as if they were being tormented by something. The stress on the animals became so bad that they were removed from the home.

Nancy and I interviewed the couple several times over the phone, then set up an in-house visit. When we arrived, the air felt heavy. A huge black cloth covered the living room window, which we were told was to keep a paranormal "something" from looking in at them. We sat down with the family to gather more information. They told us that since they moved into the home there was an uneasy feeling to the air and they constantly felt as if they were being watched. We talked at length regarding the incidents and in particular a mysterious injury that occurred to the oldest boy. The child recalled running into the kitchen from his room. As he passed into the kitchen his foot started bleeding, so much so that the wound required stitches to close. The parents examined the kitchen at the time and found nothing that could have caused such an injury and the boy did not remember hitting anything.

After the interview, Nancy and I did a preliminary walk-through of the house. We took some initial readings, notes about the residence and mapped the layout of the house. We then regrouped and made decisions on where to set up our equipment. The master bedroom was the area of most concern to the clients. With a toddler and an infant, the couple felt extremely uneasy sleeping in there away from the children. It had gotten so bad that the couple was currently sleeping in the living room with the baby in a bassinet.

Knowing that this was the area of concern I set up the camera in the doorway. I had just finished putting the camera up when I heard something that sounded like muffled breathing then a laugh. A sudden force actually pushed me to the ground but I stuck to my guns and continued with my investigation.

As the evening progressed Nancy and I each took turns taking pictures in the master bedroom and also went on to explore the rest of the house and the outdoor area. There was quite a bit of activity as we approached the garage. When we asked about the garage, the client told us that he used to have a workshop out there. Many times, to give Mom a break he would take the toddler with him while he was working. It wasn't a problem because the child would sit in a chair very still and quiet the entire time (sometimes up to 2-3 hours at a stretch).

As we talked, the father told us that his grandfather had passed away several years ago and he had possession of the ashes. This didn't seem overly strange until the story progressed. The Grandpa was German. He had no tolerance for people and would be both verbally and physically abusive to family and strangers alike. When he died, the surviving members of his family wanted nothing to do with him. They had him cremated because it was the cheapest option for the body.

Once the body was cremated a debate ensued regarding as to what to do with the ashes. None of the family members wanted him in their house yet no one was willing to part give any more money to have him buried. Somehow it was decided that our clients would hang onto him. Not wanting him in the house, they packed the old man into a Maxwell House coffee can and put him up on the shelf among the oilcans and jars of nails and screws.

After hearing this we advised our client to give the old chap a proper burial after which he would probably be on his un-merry way.

I have learned one thing from this experience and am passing it on to the readers. Be kind to your loved ones or get used to living with the 10W40!

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Note: Views and tales written and expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers or staff of Ghost Magazine.