Tammy Goodwyn (39) a Legal Assistant in Wekiva Springs, Florida keeps having to replace all of her china, wine glasses, and any other breakable piece of kitchenware, as a result of a poltergeist who has taken up residence in her kitchen. She has a file folder full of her credit card bills, with department store names highlighted where she purchased new dishes, etc. On the day I interviewed her, her dishes (which she claimed were only about three months old) were relatively poltergeist-free.

The Dish on Ghosts: What a Mess!

D: How much have you spent so far, replacing stuff that your poltergeist destroyed?

T: Jesus. My accountant totaled the whole thing up and it's about three grand so far this year. I really don't know before that because I used to pay for everything in cash.

D: Is there some way to make that a tax write-off?

T: (Chuckles) Funny you should mention that. I talked to my accountant about that and he told me that I would have to spend more than my personal deduction, which is in excess of four thousand dollars. Or else I could incorporate myself... It's just a huge pain to go through. It could be worse, you know. I could have high medical bills or something. I just have resigned myself to take care of it.

D: How long have you lived in this house?

T: Four years.

D: Has this been going on for four years?

(Tammy's thirteen-year-old daughter, Claire, enters the room and tries to show her mom her report card)

T: Not right now, sweetie. I'll look at it as soon as I'm done here.

(Claire leaves the room)

T: Anyway, no. The incidents began about two years ago. I was cooking dinner and I suddenly noticed that the place settings I'd put out for my daughter and I had been thrown on the floor. I turned back around, and all of my plates, which were really my grandmother's plates, were stacked up one on top of another. That was the real tragedy. I tried to move them carefully, and they just fell and broke. I got a good chunk of one lodged in my calf for good measure. It didn't scar, but I did go to the hospital.

D: I hate to be simplistic, but have you ever thought of just getting plastic plates and cups?

T: Absolutely! They were crushed, folded in half, and scratched up. It was creepy. My girl wouldn't eat off them after that. Paper plates were shredded until they were a powdery mess. It ventilated my Tupperware, and left an acid-like dissolved area in Pyrex dishes. I eat out a lot now (laughs).

D: So you just keep replacing them with ceramic dishes?

T: Well, I usually get several months out of each set. Besides, I don't like being controlled by whatever this is. I make good money, I'm patient, and I think I can last longer than whatever this is. It's a waiting game. I am way more stubborn than any whatever this thing is. I can wait longer, I can beat it.

D: Have you thought about moving?

T: Oh sure! I hope to be out of here in a few months. One of the lawyers at the office said that I might get into trouble if I don't disclose the true reason for leaving, but I'll take that chance I think. We're in a good neighborhood here, so the house should go fast. I just hope it doesn't follow me anywhere.

D: Has there been any history at this house of these kinds of occurrences before?

T: I've looked into the public record at work. I couldn't find much in terms of history of ghost sightings or whatever at this house. It's an old house for this area, about sixty years old. It's first owner died here, but that was in the forties and he died of old age. There's a few robberies and things like that, but I don't believe in ghosts or anything so I have no idea what could be causing it. It's really quite a nuisance.

D: Have you tried getting exorcists or parapsychologists in here to cleanse the house or something?

T: I really don't believe in any of that. Maybe one day I'll get so desperate that I break down and try something, you know, airy-fairy like that... For now, I will just do this my way. I think it's a waiting game. I did have some surveyors come by one day to make sure that everything was level in my house. You never know with all the sinkholes around here... Anyway, there were no structural defects. My house is fine.

Editor's note: Three days after our interview, I received a call from Tammy Goodwyn, claiming the poltergeist had struck again. She kept the kitchen exactly as it was until I was able to come and take these pictures.

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Interview with Tammy Goodwyn May 12th, 1998

Photo credit: Derek Barnes