The Sunday Spook

The cemetery at the center of town was, well, the talk of the town. It was the center of peace, calm, and tranquility, regardless of the mood of the townspeople. In fact, most people not living in this town went out of their way to avoid it. This town was known for its violence and crime, being home to multiple rival families, feuding for reasons long forgotten.

The cemetery located at the center of this town was arranged in a circular pattern, with lush green grass, immaculately maintained headstones, and concrete benches surrounding the edges of the spherical lawn. During daylight hours, one would be hard-pressed to find an open spot on any bench. Neighbors sat side-by-side, showing their respects to those who have passed, some at the hands of the families seated next to them. Yes, the cemetery at the center of town was the one place where the peace was not disturbed, problems not addressed, and respect was abundant.

The council members of this little town were oft-confused by the loss of tension as one approached the cemetery. “How”, inquired the mayor, “Can a town so rife with violence be so peaceful at the sight of the cemetery?”

The police chief knew something the mayor didn’t know, and finally decided the time was right to share his insight. “Mr. Mayor, it is not so surprising that the cemetery is rife with peace while the town is rife with strife. The spirits within the burrows of the cemetery know the value of peace. They cannot speak this truth, so they spread their spirits out, surrounding the lawn with the calm and tranquility we see daily at the center of this town. Their spirits rule the roost, and the peace that is there cannot be broken by any human force”.

Over the next year, the town lost its reputation for the violence and the strife. Neighboring residents were no longer afraid to take the short route through it, opting not to travel miles out of their way to avoid it. The solution wasn’t one of uprising, or political upheaval. The solution was much, much simpler than that:

It was simply to build a cemetery at every outer edge of the town, which thus became enveloped in the loving arms of the spiritual world.