The Apology of Madame Tibaldi

by BedeFan

This fanfic was inspired by the Ghost and Mrs Muir Episode, Medium Well Done featuring as a guest star the fabulous Shirley Booth as Madame Tibaldi. It was also inspired by a picture taken as a publicity shot for the film, Comedy of Terrors starring Vincent Price, Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff. The picture had the actors in coffins, reading. In Progress!

1. Chapter 1

Claymore Gregg, tall, balding and be-speckled was a happy man, which was not his normal state. A few minute earlier he had found change someone had dropped on the sidewalk - enough for a cup of coffee at the diner with 2 cents to spare. He sat there at the counter now, indulging in a free cup of rather good coffee - the steam curling about his smiling face. But it was not the free coffee that made him happy.

A couple of minutes before stepping out on the sidewalk, Claymore had raised the rent on not one but two properties which certainly gladdened his greedy heart but that is not why he was so happy. The citizens of Schooner Bay who knew him well now gave him sideways glances because as he sat there at the counter amongst them he seemed a man transformed. There was just something about Claymore that did not seem right - although it did at least seem a good thing. This special whatever-it-was air about Claymore was perplexing to be certain. It was something never seen before so they all said.

Claymore just smiled to himself, unaware as he was in his state of practical bliss that anyone was paying attention to him at all and what's more he did not care. Even if he had wanted to, he could not share his reasons anyway. If his neighbors only knew they were not seeing a new Claymore Gregg. Oh no indeed, in fact they were seeing an old Claymore, a Claymore from a time long ago, a Claymore that had not been seen since that fateful day in his childhood when he went to Gull Cottage and found the lively ghost of his long dead possible uncle, Captain Daniel Gregg. That was the day that had transformed the boy Claymore from a happy if somewhat self-absorbed boy into a self-absorbed Nervous Nelly.

Many people do not believe in ghosts and Claymore was one of them until he had no choice. It is one thing to not believe in ghosts, it is another to deny what one can see, hear and most definitely feel as it picks you up and tosses you out the door. Claymore became a believer that day because he had no other choice. His one great wish from that day to this was that he had never met Captain Gregg.

Believing in ghosts is one thing, wanting them in your life quite another. Maybe if Captain Gregg had been a loveable, friendly ghost, a warm and welcoming ghost, a kind and helpful ghost, a funny and entertaining ghost - anything other than a grumpy, hostile entity with a wicked sense of humor and a delight in pranks, Claymore might have actually enjoyed having him around. But the Captain was not a happy ghost. He in fact was rather miserable and he took it out on anyone who came to close to his home, especially Claymore who irritated him to no end. As the years past, the relationship did not improve. Claymore had learned how to avoid the Captain as much as possible, but still, the Captain was always there and could, if he wanted to, frighten Claymore out of his skin any time he pleased. Is it any wonder then that Claymore's fondest wish was to send the Captain on his way to where ever spirits go - as long as it was far away from Schooner Bay? Unfortunately for Claymore, it was not possible.

But then, one day completely by accident Claymore found his answer - Madame Olivia Tibaldi, a Medium of rare renown came to Schooner Bay and happened to be of such talent that she could exorcise a ghost! Or so she said. Claymore, having spent many years feeling tormented, not to mention burdened by having a property - Gull Cottage that earned him very little money only because of that dastardly difficult ghost - seized the only glimmer of hope that had ever come his way. He hired her on the spot to send the Captain packing. Never mind that the others who actually lived with the Captain would be heart broken if ever he left them.

And so it was that Madame Tibaldi, a funny little woman of good cheer and good intentions held a seance - much to the ghostly Captain's amusement and drove the spirit from the house - or so it seemed - even as Mrs. Muir tried to stop the proceedings. Claymore was elated. Oblivious to the fact that he was the only one, - and so found himself to be a truly happy man for the first time in his adult life. On that most happy note Claymore left the cottage, had the best night's sleep in years, and awoke the next morning still in a state of bliss. So it was that he sat at the counter with his free coffee, planning what to do next to the Gull Cottage property and smiling from ear to ear, a man truly transformed.