Ghost Not

I used to work at a place called JAG (Juvenile Alternatives in Glendale). I was considered a counselor, and did intakes, outtakes and monitoring of Juveniles for a 24-hour Time Out. At least that was the job description.

I’ve written about it before.

It was hit or miss as to whether I liked the job. It wasn’t a job I wanted or applied for – but that is a story for another time.

It was claimed that the JAG building – a single story converted bungalow that use to be a house – was haunted. Lots of people claimed it. My Co-worked claimed it. Many of the kids who stayed there claimed it.

I never believed it.

This is a True Story I call GHOST NOT

I worked the 12P.M. to 10P.M. shift. After 5P.M. only two of us worked, so every night it was me, my co-worker and anywhere from zero to ten Juvies.

Many times my co-worker would tell me the place was haunted. Many times the Juvies would claim it as well.

The most common claims were simple: voices, weird noises and shadows. All easily explainable. JAG was on a very busy street corner, just off a housing area, and across from a car shop. All noises explained.

No one bought that. Why? The one big thing that kept happening. The TV.

The TV in the meeting room kept turning on by itself!

Keep in mind this is 2005/2006. The TV was an old counsel CRT TV. Not digital and defiantly not HD.

Now, I did experience the TV turning on by itself a few times. Much to my co-worker’s delight, who used it to prove the place was haunted. Some of the Juvies who spent more than one time out at JAG did the same.

TV on. Place Haunted. Ace Wrong.

Well . . . not really!

I noticed very easily that if there was a power surge, the TV came on. Sometimes the TV came on when a switch was flipped, or a door closed very hard. Obviously there were some wiring issues in the house. There was also something else.

I check over the TV one day – yes being a jackass to prove my point – and guess what? The push button to turn the TV on was loose. I took the TV apart and found the switch was broke and loose inside, the slightest movement could jiggle the switch on and off.

I fixed the switch and like a miracle the ghost was gone! JAG no longer haunted!

My co-worker moped for a while, he liked the idea of the place being haunted.

The boss was glad I did it. He could now use the TV in meetings, and it put an end to the Haunting idea he hated.

Simple, huh?

Ace.