Punjab board

So, let me give you a bit of a back story.

Where I grew up in Fulham, UK, there was a place called the British Legion. It was a pub owned and supported by the charity that sells the poppies each year. It was a members only bar, mainly for old war veterans to have cheap drinks.

It was also a bit of a party central. They offered a cheap room to hire out for parties etc.

It was a big place, ground floor had the bar and party room. Next floor had the snooker and pool tables, as well as a small room with a couple of dart boards. Next floor was an empty flat the landlord could live in if he wanted to, but spent most of the time in Spain. Top floor was a disused flat in need of serious renovation. There was also a dog that lived in the pub. He was literally, about 17 years old. Riddled with arthritis, barely moved and never made a sound. Part of the furniture is the perfect description of him. The whole place was stuck in the 70s from decor to furniture.

There was a little spate of christenings, wedding receptions and birthdays there when I was about 14-15. I'd either been Invited personally, or went with friends.

One such party, I was looking for my friend, so had gone to the first floor expecting to finding him playing pool or snooker. Instead, he was with a couple of older lads, playing with a ouija board in the darts room. I sat and watched them for a while, but then started to feel very uncomfortable so went back downstairs thinking nothing of it. However, from that day on I couldn't physically cross the threshold of that room.

Over the next few years, you'd hear stories of funny goings on in the pub but thought it was just urban myths.

Fast forward to when I was 18. I'd ended up between jobs and knew the manager at the pub, so blagged myself a job. Just for a short time. Had a couple of shifts to show me the ropes etc and was then left to crack on with it.

One morning, about 2 months later, I turned up at about 1000 to open up for 11. We had to check a few bits, hoover and unlock the toilets etc and sort the tills out.

I walked into the main bar and found the dog, standing up, barking at something in the corner. I didnt think too much of it, but did find it weird. There was also this really old intercom that hadn't ever worked, would show a video but no sound. This was on full blast, just playing static. Maybe this had just decided to completely died...

I also found 4 chairs not on top of the table - the regular habit on closing up, was to put all the chairs on the table so it could be hoovered easier, broken glass was on the floor by one of them. Again, thought it was odd but nothing weird.

I then found the door to the toilets, not only unlocked, but open. This was a big no no as anyone breaking in through the toilet window, would have free reign throughout the building. Straight away I called the police because I believed someone was in the building. At the same time i called the landlord.

The police turned up about 15 minutes later. It was 2 young-ish lads. One sat with me taking my statement and the other started walking around the building. About 10 minutes later he came in, looking as white as a sheet. He told us he hadn't found anything suspicious, no lights where on anywhere so didn't suspect anyone had broken in, but then started going towards the very top floor, where the empty flat in serious need of renovation was. As he'd stepped onto the bottom step of the final flight, the temperature changed. Went from mild British summer day, to being able to see your breath cold. He told us he'd felt like something had brushed past him going upstairs, so got too freaked out and came back downstairs. Obviously, his colleague was laughing and just taking the piss out of him. But noted it in his book.

When the manager finally turned up, he told us a bit more detail.

Apparently he and a couple of his regular customer mates, had been having a few after hours drinks. He had finished putting all the chairs on the tables, and sat down to have a pint.

One of the others had gone for a pee in the toilet and came back saying it had felt like someone was in there with him, but just assumed it was one of the others messing about, but carried on drinking. About 10 minutes later, the manager had put a glass on the table, which then slipped off and fell on the floor. Anyone working in a pub knows, if there is a thin layer of liquid on the table, it can make the glass "aquaplane" like you do in a car.

Anyway, he picked up the glass and put it back on the table. Apparently, the same glass then rattled, shook and flew across the room, hitting a chair that had been put back down on the floor and smashed.

It was at this point they all got up and left.

Needless to say, I didn't work many more shifts after that.