"Mind If I Sit Here?"

November 11, 2013.
West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.
Mel's Drive-In

I'd decided not to make breakfast that morning at the house I was renting. Instead, I drove down Laurel Canyon Blvd. to Sunset and made my way to Mel's Drive-In. I sat down at an outside table where I could enjoy the cool breeze, watch the Tourist buses pass and smile as the pretty girls walked by. A Waitress came over and took my order: Cheese Omelet, Frosted Flakes, White Toast with grape jelly, glass of milk and orange juice.
"Hungry, huh", the Waitress asked with a smile? I answered with a smile and a chuckle, then she left to place my order.

I pulled out my iPad, keyed into Mel's Wi-Fi network and decided to catch up on the local news of the day. As I sat reading, I felt the air grow a bit colder but thought nothing of it....until I felt a presence. I looked up and around but saw no one who looked to have just come into my immediate space, so I continued reading....until I heard a female voice ask, "Mind if I sit here?" I looked up and did a double-take.
The voice had come from directly in front of me, yet here was no one there. There was no one in the immediate vicinity, either. After my astonishment, I regained my composure and said as nonchalantly as possible, "Sure. Go ahead."

It was at that moment that my Breakfast arrived. My Waitress must have noticed something in my demeanor and asked if everything was okay, because she said I looked like I'd "seen a ghost". I smiled at her and said, "Lady, you don't know the half of it", then started eating as she left. "Can I have a bite", the voice asked? I paused, not knowing what to say when a bus load of noisy but happy tourists came by. I don't know how or why, but the sudden arrival of the tourists seemed to disrupt something in the air and with that, the ghost departed. I waited but it didn't return.