The lonely ghost made the decision to boycott Halloween. Her heart (empty chest cavity) just wasn’t in it this year. The evening easily could have been booked with several hauntings. Her services were highly in demand. She was avoiding everyone; her voice mail box was full and most likely with work related inquiries.

With a heavy spirit, she glides through the day, trying to fill it with the mundane and menial. Breaking the hours into increments of time and events:

• Nine o’clock to half past ten - frighten small children in the park
• Half past ten to noon - posses the body of an ally cat and terrorize rodents
• Noon to half past three - attempt to nap and watch awful daytime television
• Three o’clock to four o’clock - shop online for shoes and a new comforter for her bed
• Four o’clock to half past six - pick vegetables from her garden and make a salad for dinner
• Six o’clock to seven o’clock - drink an entire bottle of wine, all the while affirming that each glass would be her last (of course until she poured another)
• Seven o’clock and on - drunkenly succumb to depression, cry and pass out on her bed

The next morning she awoke to a thunderous headache. Puddles of tears mixed with yesterday’s makeup stained her pillow and blanket. Disappointed, she paused. Human-like emotion got the best of her, but soon she decided that at least half of the previous day’s online shopping wasn’t in vein. After all, she really needed that new comforter now.

Rationalization, check