The Sandwich Shop Haunting
Not all workplace drama comes from the living. In this sandwich shop, a ghost named Ethel shared the work schedule. With a taste for mischief, she turned ordinary shifts into haunted shifts.
The Sandwich Shop Haunting
In my last job (30F), I worked in the kitchen of a small sandwich shop. My boss had a strange talent for sensing ghostly presences. She'd talk to clients about lost loved ones who had departed, and more often than not, she was spot-on. It was amazing to watch how people reacted — it gave the place a vibe I haven’t experienced in any other job.
My boss strongly believed that a spirit lived in the shop, and we affectionately called her "Ethel." Every morning we’d greet her when we opened the doors, and every night we’d say goodbye. It became a ritual, and it really made the place unique.
One afternoon, I was slicing tomatoes to roast. I loaded up three trays, opened the big industrial oven (with those heavy double doors that are tough to pull open), slid them in, and shut it hard. A few minutes later, I heard a bang behind me — the oven doors had swung open. Sometimes they did that if you didn’t shut them properly, but I thought I did. So I closed them again, gave them a pull to be sure, and went back to cleaning.
I heard that loud noise again just a minute later and watched as the oven doors popped open. I was so spooked that I went to talk with my boss about this. As we stood in front of each other talking about Ethel, the broom that had been leaning against the wall slowly moved off and lay down gently between us. There was no noise; it just placed itself down very carefully. I clocked out early and went home!
About a month later, my boss was cleaning under one of the refrigerated stands by the front door. As she crouched down, she noticed a pair of old-timey women’s shoes with stockings walk up to the counter. She popped up to help what she thought was a customer, but no one was there. She went to check outside, but the doors were still locked.
Since these incidents, I’ve found a deeper appreciation of “coworker” spirits.
