Sammy, a rookie real estate agent in New York, couldn't believe his luck. He had successfully sold an old house that many senior property marketers avoided like the plague. Soon, he would receive a huge bonus. However, instead of feeling excited, Sammy felt anxious.
You see, the house he sold seemed to be haunted. Sammy had seen a woman in a white dress more than once, though only briefly-enough to make him wonder if he needed new glasses or stronger coffee. The story goes that the previous occupants had been robbed and the owner had met a tragic end, smothered with a pillow. Now the house had a new owner, Alex, a war veteran who was developing a dog breeding business.
Sammy couldn't shake the worry that Alex would be disturbed by ghostly apparitions. After all, it's not every day you sell a house with a strange tenant.
One afternoon, Sammy decided to chill out at P-Coffee, a cozy virtual coffee shop in Manhattan that he often visits to relax. Ben, a part-time credit card marketer with a flair for graphic design, was behind the counter, perfecting his latte art. His pet parrot, Birdy, is perched on a shelf nearby, chirping merrily and adding a unique charm to the place.
As Sammy sips his coffee, the door swings open and Alex enters with an enthusiastic Golden Retriever at his side.
Sammy: (nervously) Hey Alex, how are you? Everything... okay with the house?
Alex: (grinning) Oh, great! The dogs are happy with the house.
Sammy: (hesitates) And, uh, you didn't notice anything... unusual?
Alex raises his eyebrows and gestures for Sammy to follow him into the house. In the Browstone house, Alex took Sammy to a room in the corner. Inside was a Golden Retriever who was lying down with his eyes focused on the bed. Sammy braced himself for the worst, half expecting to hear scary whispers.
Alex: (chuckles) You mean the figure on the bed?
Sammy's eyes widened. Sammy: (stammers) Uh, yeah. Did you see her?
Alex: (shakes his head) No. But every time my dogs come into this room they suddenly calm down. I think that figure is harmless. In fact, he's perfect for what I need.
Sammy blinks, trying to process this. Perfect? For what?
Alex: (smiles) I train my dogs to be therapy dogs, especially for people with PTSD. They need to be sensitive to their surroundings, and a little ghostly activity will help sharpen their instincts. I mean, therapy dogs can help PTSD patients reduce anxiety and feel safe, even if they have to stay in a room with no other humans. PTSD patients sometimes hallucinate that there is someone other than them in a room.
Sammy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sammy: (laughs) So you're saying that ghosts are... helpful?
Alex: (grinning) Of course. He's like a live-in assistant trainer. The dogs have to stay calm and focused even if she decides to make an appearance.
Then they went back to P-Coffee and reviewed the story a bit in front of Ben and Birdy.
Just then, Birdy squawked from her perch.
Birdy: Ghost trainer! Ghost coach!
The whole shop burst out laughing, and even Sammy joined in.
Sammy: (smiling) Well, I guess I have nothing to worry about.
Alex: (laughs) I guess so. How about we drink that coffee we were talking about? I have some funny stories about my dogs' training sessions.
As they sat enjoying their coffee, Sammy couldn't help but laugh at the silliness of it all. Here he was, worrying about ghosts, only to find out that it was part of the training program. The conversation flowed as smoothly as a cappuccino, filled with laughter and shared stories.
The whole experience had turned an ordinary day into something special. Sammy learned that sometimes, what looks scary can actually be a source of surprising joy. And he and Alex promise to make their coffee chats a regular thing, because in busy New York City, there's always room for laughter and a good cup of coffee.
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