I was eating lunch with a co-worker one day and kept overhearing bits and pieces of a conversation between two people in the booth behind us. I was distracted by our own conversation about work but could not help but pick up key words like "abandoned factory" and "old building" that made me think I might be sitting next to urban explorers! When I turned to look over the booth I was sure I was mistkaken these ladies were not urban exploration types.

The younger of the two was dressed in a weird looking maroon colored lace garment over a black dress. She looked at me and I glanced away pretending to be looking around for someone else. I could not see the other person but I could tell by the voice she was an older but very attractive woman and I could see she had a fancy hair-do and would never go inside an abandoned building. As the conversation between them continued they lowered their voices but I could still hear. There was discussion of no trespassing signs next and what would happen if they were caught. My curiosity was at full scale and I continued eavesdropping. My associate sensing my distraction kept looking at me and the next booth saying, what? Then I heard the younger one say, you can walk right in if the gates open theres nothing to keep you out and there are "coldspots" just inside the door?

We got our check and headed for the cashier. I got some change and told my partner I was going back and forgot to leave a tip but I really just wanted the opportunity to confess I had overheard their conversation and introduced myself. The younger woman would not speak or even look at me but the older one seemed quite congenial. I explained to her that I like to photograph old industrial buildings and asked where might this one be. They looked at each other in what I can only describe as shock. Then the older one explained they were in some paranormal group.

They had apparently been scoping this site in Garland and trying to do some research on what they thought was a warehouse. They said it had some kind of energy forces there and there had even been some "sightings". I guess I could not conceal the skepticism in my face because no sooner than she had opened up to me she turned off cold and they started getting real uncomfortable which made me real uncomfortable. (arent these people able to read minds and see auras and stuff?)

I excused myself and said well Im sorry to bother you and apologized for eavesdropping and they just kinda sat there looking at each other. But I had gotten what I wanted and left. The location.

The next day I took my lunch break with a camera. Without making any stereotype remarks about men and women getting lost and asking for directions, I'll just say this place wasnt where the woman said it was at all but it was close enough I could figure it out and just about how she described it. And the other one was right about just being able to walk right in. All I could see at first was the roof. The old place was overgrown badly with trees and brush. Then I came to the gate and could see lots of graffiti topside and new this was the spot they were talking about. If not, I was going to explore it anyway!

I went in through the old office first. All the interior doors were closed. I stood and listened for a full minute. Hearing nothing I continued down the hall checking each door and room as I went. As I turned down a dead end hallway I heard a noise from behind and spun around with my flashlight to see nothing but the wind swaying through part of the collapsed ceiling that was hanging down. So why was I so jumpy I dont believe in ghosts, just didnt want to surpise a hobo in here on his turf. I went back towards the factory and then I felt it. Cold air rushing in from somehwere but I could not see where. This part of the building was one story but it seemd to come straight down from the ceiling. Hmmm, OK they mentioned cold spots whats that supposed to mean a ghost lives there or something? I was shooting pictures and not really paying attnetion to where I was going as I opened the door to the factory and stepped through it went whoosh and slammed shut behind me. Now I can tell you I was trying to tell myself it was the same draft causing all these special effects and I almost had my skeptical self convinced.

The rest of the visit turned up no ghosts or hauntings, just some scary looking gargoyle artwork on an interior door. I understand how stories like these get started, one ladies son passing it along to the other ladies son and pretty soon the paranormal moms are thinking they found spirit pay-dirt.