Case: The Chair Swapping Ghost

Once upon a time at a workplace, a paranormal account was reported to HR and facilities. The tale, because it was leaning more towards fairy tales, than factual. Told by two executive administrative assistants was interesting.

Robin who worked for legal sat next to Pat who worked for the COO, stopped in HR’s office before 8am on a Wednesday. For the past five weeks, their individual desk chairs have been switched after they leave the day. Not always with each other. Sometimes with chairs in unused cubicles. The spirit who had taken up residence and was playing this upsetting game of chair exchange. It was a kind ghost, who would also make sure each of their permanent collection of no less than three shawls, sweaters, and blankets draped over of their chair was on the ‘new’ chair.

Facilities sat fascinated during the conversation. HR asked lots of questions. Many answers were returned. Their bottoms could tell that the chair was not theirs. None of them really made a lot of sense, but an investigation was started.

It’s important to mention that this company has a complex security system inside and outside. All furniture was asset tagged for inventory control. Both Robin and Pat were in their mid-sixties.

Pat was slightly past the normal retirement age. Could be easily confused at times. It didn’t help that her manager, the COO, was an interesting kind of odd. He could be found sleeping on the couch in his office overnight. Not because of working hard to meet deadlines, his wife would literally change the locks on their doors at home and not give him a key.

Pat and Chris weren’t a dream team. Shared a love of conspiracy stories. Loved to mishear or misunderstand others and immediately rush down a path that was the wrong way. So, he got involved in the investigation. All opinions, not one valid to the situation.

All the furniture had asset tags. Over the next two weeks: the asset tags were checked before 8am, 3pm, and 11pm. Overnight the armed security who did walk through twice, seven days a week, did a check and noted on their report.

The camera in the area reflected a broad area, but did cover the cubicle entrances, not their full cubicles. There were two five-foot walls and two three-feet walls. Was it plausible that a ghost could heft a chair over a five feet wall – sure. They might be gym ghosts. The cleaning company worked during the day, between 3pm – 5pm.

At the end of the two weeks, a meeting was called, to review the findings. The investigation conclusions weren’t an unexplained phenomenon. The asset tags reflected they were each of their chairs. Cameras reflected no activity. The chairs did not move from the time Robin and Pat left until they came in, in the morning. No evidence of a rogue ghost or anything else happening. The investigation closed. The room was quiet.

The following week, Robin confessed that Pat wanted a new chair.

So, why not just ask for one? Robin continued, saying that Pat thought if they both came with the same story on a paranormal occurrence; their existing chairs would be replaced. Made perfect sense.

 Chris suggested the whole charade, because he thought there was not a budget for furniture. He approved the multi-million-dollar budget with access to the folder to look. Chris was hired by the CEO, who just wanted the role filled. The CEO chose to disregard that in Chris’s previous three roles that ended with the company going out of business. Yes, another story of how they got hired.

Both received new chairs.