The arrow above the Big B Cleaners is flickering in a way that almost looks intentional.

The ground is still wet from what seems an eternity of rain. The clouds have broken enough to give the glow of sunlight, though I doubt we’ll see the majestic star for at least another couple of days. It’s Thursday, Sept. 15, and I am hanging out with the local Society for Paranormal Investigations & Research in Tennessee.
Terry Mayo and his gang gather at the open corridor to plan their upcoming haunted tours of the Murfreesboro streets. Most wear shirts with a S.P.I.R.I.T. logo on the front breast and “Ghosthunter” on the back.

Terry is making jokes and making phone calls to his fellow ghosthunters. Some are late and some are not going to make it. He is still jovial.

They talk about the first Saturday in October, which this year is the 3rd. One member points out that it is going to be a full moon. Terry makes a point of saying that it was the day of his grandfather’s death. They know these things and commit them to memory while to the rest of us it is just another day.

This October the Murfreesboro S.P.I.R.I.T. team has decided to share its knowledge of Murfreesboro with the rest of us.

Murfreesboro is an old town. It has seen many eras and knows many times. To think that there is a Murfreesboro without spirits is just silly. It has seen the bloodiest battle in the Civil War and has been a center of paranormal activity longer than you have surely been alive.

Want to know why there is a reappearing red spot on the third floor of the old courthouse building? Or who the owners of Stone Keepers call Henry? Or the Murfreesboro secret that keeps the employees and owners of Liquid Smoke, The Blue Rooster and Steve’s Pawn Shop out of the basement? Maybe you want to know why the managers of The Front Porch and B. McNeel’s don’t like closing alone.
For five days this October, Terry and his team invite the public on an insightful and spooky tour of the streets they travel and buildings they pass or do business in every day. You can join the group on the “Murfreesboro Haunted Walk” on Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24 or 30. The tours will start at 7:30 p.m. and will leave every half hour from the open corridor between Big B Cleaners and Binks outdoor store. The cost is $5 and the experience is priceless.

Be sure to bring a camera and flashlight so you can capture the evidence yourself. The tour follows along the Murfreesboro square and surrounding streets and tells of investigated paranormal activity in some of the most prominent buildings and businesses of the area.
This is not a haunted house full of fabricated tales and costumed ghouls. Everything you hear about has been investigated by the Murfreesboro S.P.I.R.I.T. team.

October seems to be the time to let go of the summer. The carefree time of fun and overindulgence is over. It is a time to come face to face with your demons and the reality of everyday life.
So while getting in touch with your own reality, why not let Terry and his team give you a glimpse of theirs.

Happy October and good luck.