Halloween
Neither of the kids is interested in Trick or Treating this year. Sarah's too old and Ben said none of his friends are interested in it this year, so we're just hanging out at home. It's a bit of a crossroads for us as a family, and thus a bit bittersweet for me. I've never been a big fan of Halloween, but I did enjoy getting together with our friends Patty and Brad to walk with our kids through their neighborhood. It was sort of our tradition, and this year even their kids weren't interested, with the exception of their youngest, who's birthday also falls on Halloween. She and some friends are going out trick or treating.
In trying to think of some memorable Halloween costumes and events of the past I came up with a few.
There was the year I was trick or treating with Rob and we were followed by a couple of teenagers for the last block or so before we got home. When we got to our house, Rob, suspicious of the teens, took a shortcut up the hill, while I was out to prove that I wasn't scared and kept walking to our steps. At the base of the steps one of the kids stole my bag, and they both took off running. I was pissed and went in and told Tom. He and a friend went out looking for the guy while I followed, but no luck. As I was walking back from then end of the block, I saw the remnants of my bag underneath a parked car. I went and got it and it was all there. All my candy. It turned out not to be a tragic holiday after all.
There was the year that Intelligraphics had a Halloween party with a DJ and I dressed up as the Jolly Green Giant and Donna was the Little Green Sprout. We looked like a couple of trees out there on the dance floor. At that same party I also remember our friend Bill Lee dressed in jail stripes as James Brown, shortly after he'd been arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. Bill did an amazing rendition of JB, too.
One year we attended a party in our friend Stephanie's basement and I dressed up as a pirate. I wanted to find a stuffed parrot toy for my shoulder, but all I could find was a grouse or a partridge. Not caring, I taped it on and went to the party. People kept calling me out on it. A few even wondered if I was Dr. Doolittle.
In 1988, Rob, Jane, Paul and Keith came down for Halloween. We spent the night at various East Side locales. The best costume of the trip was Paul's. He had a piece of green carpet with a football field on one side and a baseball field on the other and carried an umbrella spray painted silver. When people asked what he was, he said "The Metrodome". Classic. Creative and classic!
Our kids had some memorable cute costumes, none of which I can find pictures for, of course. One year at a particularly scary house, Sarah and Patrick approached the witch cautiously and when they got their candy, Sarah ran back to us and Patrick froze in fear. We had to go rescue him from himself.
This year Ben did get a plain mask that, when worn with a hoodie sweatshirt is downright creepy. He's using it to scare the kids as he passes out candy.
It's a fun holiday if you keep it in perspective. I'm one who's not into dressing up for it too much anymore. I think it's best left to the kids anyways.
Boooooing off...
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