Introduction

This story is part of the Zodiac Schmodiac story cycle, a group of short stories based on the Chinese Zodiac. Remember the paper placemats with zodiac animals from your favorite Chinese buffet? The things it tells you are wildly inaccurate and probably have no resemblance whatsoever to your life or situation, but reading them is fun and writing these stories was too.

“The Ghost Who Tried to Love Me” began as a retelling of my favorite ghost story. I know a teacher in Taiwan who resembles this story’s “Hank” quite closely, and he told me his ghost experience one night during Ghost Festival. We had just finished teaching our conversation classes for the evening and I mentioned to him that some of the students thought he’d seen a ghost before. He told me that it was true, he had seen a ghost, and the story he told me stuck in my mind. His story scared me because guys like us (non-Taoist, educated North Americans) aren’t supposed to believe in ghosts much less see them. He didn’t have any explanation for what he had been through, he only knew that it was really creepy and that it happened. The details of this story aren’t his, they are mine. His story was a great jumping off point, but this story started to go in interesting directions almost as soon as it got started. Any inaccuracies or strangeness here is mine, not his.

So which zodiac sign does this story take? The dragon. I know, it’s a stretch to relate ghosts to dragons, but I figured since they are both “imaginary” that they fit well together. The real Chinese explanation for why people see ghosts is much more involved than what your zodiac sign is, it takes into account you “8 life numbers” which is terribly complicated and way over my head. I once had a Chinese fortune teller say that since I am a foreigner and born on the wrong side of the globe my 8 numbers don’t even work. (Maybe she could tell that I’m a cheapskate and wouldn’t pay well so she decided to take the easy way out.) If your 8 numbers show that you have a light tie to this world then you are more likely to see things from other worlds, like ghosts, which is why I always try to stay a few pounds overweight so that I don’t float away or see any ghosts.

Zodiac Schmodiac Part 1 (the first half of the story cycle) will hit the shelves of fine bookstores (Smashwords, Amazon, etc.) at the end of August 2011. If you enjoy this story you might consider purchasing the full book. I appreciate your support and look forward to hearing from you with your comments and reactions. (You can find my contact info at the end of the book, or email me anytime, adam @ adamtervort . com)