The Lady in High Heels

This story is not as sensational as many others from this site, but it’s true. My father told it to me many years ago, when I was just a child. I recalled it perfectly, but I wasn’t sure if my imagination added something with the years. So, a couple of weeks ago I asked him to narrate it to again. It was exactly the same story he told many before. Here we go...

When my father was single in his twenties, he visited his aunt in Chihuahua, Mexico. His relatives used to live in an old house close to a hospital. They let him sleep on a sofa in the living room that was located at the entrance to the building. Above the sofa was a window through which the street could be seen.

One night my father woke up at the footsteps from a woman wearing high heels. The sound was clear and indicated that she was walking in a hurry from one end of the street to the other. The sound came as if the woman was walking just on the sidewalk behind the window. He didn’t pay attention and went back to sleep.

The following nights the same occurrence happened again so his curiosity grew. He planned that next time he listens to the footsteps he will stand up and look outside to meet the mysterious lady. Surely, she was a young woman who has a job nearby starting very early in the morning.

That very night it happened. As soon as he heard the footsteps he woke up, dragged the curtain and looked for her.... The street was completely empty. He thought that he just had missed her, but surely another occasion will come soon.

Some nights went by and nothing happened. He almost forgot the incident when the phenomenon occurred again. However, this time as soon as he heard the steps he inspected the street and noted that nobody was there. Even so, the steps could be heard clearly and loudly, resembling the Doppler effect, as if somebody was actually passing through the sidewalk underneath the window. He was startled but not afraid.

In the morning, he mentioned to his aunt what happened. She said: ‘So, finally you noticed her’? ‘"‘notice who?’? My father replied. ‘"‘The lady in high heels, of course, who else?’? ‘"‘Who is she?’? asked my father. ‘You mean, who she was?’? told his aunt, and continued ‘She was a nurse that worked many years ago in the hospital two blocks from here. She used to do the night shift until she died quite young. Many neighbors have listened to her, but nobody has seen her. Some nights her steps are quite loud, other they barely are noticed and others she just doesn’t come.’?

It’s funny that my father has never referred to her as a ghost. In fact, I believe that nobody in my aunt’s neighborhood did it. A ghost normally is an unknown presence that may scare living people. However, the lady in high-heels was well known, and she didn’t scare anybody. In life, she was there to help other people. In death couldn’t be different.