The Headless Horsemen Committee is heading a movement with downtown Phoenix businesses to bring nightlife to the ghost community.
The movement acts as a door to an opportunity ghosts can glide through, said Galvin Ghasp, president of the Arizona chapter of the Headless Horsemen Committee.
“We thought people were making jokes about Phoenix becoming a ‘ghost town’ after dark, but we finally took advantage of it,” Ghasp said. “It’s a perfect fit for those who feel a little socially awkward around the living.”
The committee holds monthly meetings to discuss new changes in the ghost community.
“We had one on Wednesday to discuss cultural appropriation in regard to trick-or-treating,” Ghasp said. “The living throw a white sheet over their heads and suddenly they’ve become a ghost. Do they know what we’ve been through? We died to get where we are.”
Ghasp, who died after falling from a construction site in 1971, said he’s seen many changes in Phoenix throughout the century.
“Honestly, I feel Phoenix has become more progressive for ghosts in the past couple of decades,” Ghasp said. “We used to be such homebodies. We never left the cemetery or the place where we died. Now we can go out and have a good time.”
Ghasp said the ghost community is taking baby steps toward social life.
“We generally stay in during First Fridays because the living are just too blunt,” he said. “Most of us stick around because of our sensitive natures, you know, moaning and wailing about insults from decades ago.”
The living have not learned proper decorum around ghosts, Ghasp said.
“You say, ‘Hi, how are you?’ and they respond by screaming. It’s just insensitive,” he said. “What are they? A wailing banshee?”
Live business owners are starting to reap the benefits of the ghostly, late-night clientele, said Billy Muman, owner of Good Spirits Eatery.
“I never believed in ghosts when I was younger,” Muman said. “But I was closing the restaurant one night when an ethereal creature floated toward me. I was terrified until he asked if we did karaoke. I realized I had a new client base to work with.”
Muman learned to cultivate to the clients’ needs.
“One of the more popular songs to play at karaoke is ‘Ghost Town’ by Adam Lambert,” he said. “I played ‘Monster Mash’ once and they were all very offended. They’re very touchy. Well, I mean, technically, you can’t touch them because it would go right through. Can I start over?”
Recently deceased Harper Heckle prefers to haunt other late-night businesses.
“As a new ghost, I’m loving the late-night businesses that are welcoming us in,” Heckle said. “Jobot has been great with letting me hang out under the floorboards. I was a hipster, or whatever, so I feel like it suits me better.”
The nightlife as a ghost has never made Heckle feel more alive, she said.
“Personally, I thought Phoenix was dead at night when I was one of the living,” Heckle said. “I couldn’t have been closer to the truth.”
