Oct. 31, 2007 - 22:08 MDT

WEARY EERIE

Seems like centuries ago when I was a child, the approach of Halloween was signalled in our school. It had its place in our artwork, spiders, webs, skulls, witches on brooms and such. Scary tales told to the class as well. Being the gremlins that young children used to be made us enthusiastic participants in the "Hand Out Game" whereby going house to house in our neighborhood and asking for Handouts was the going thing for the night.

This was the night that windows were soaped and windows of the neighborhood crabs were waxed. Pranks of many kinds were rife, mostly irritating to grownups, few truly harmful.

In the brisk evening at the end of October there was adventure in the air, it quivered with it. In my little way, burnt cork, Mom's lipstick (the reddest for blood and scabs) and ragpile clothes played a part. Back then I don't recall much in the way of purchased costumes. We all did what we could and a seamstress Mother was at the top of the best loved list. In my memory I think I made a pretty good hobo, a cowboy as well. I always had a plentiful supply of caps for my gun so that I could strike terror in the hearts of homeowners in our neighborhood. We were a noisy bunch, often singing ridiculous songs as we went downt the sidewalk which gave househoulders fair warning we were coming.

Seems as if that was one night of the year that our parents bit the bullet, told us to behave ourselves and bid us goodbye. And we were, Holey Moley, free spirits on the loose. The bags we carried grew heavier of course, but the fun was more pleasant than all the candy in the world for me.

Ah, how can I capture the mystique of Halloween when I was a kid ? Part of it I guess was the "legal lawlessness" of the night. The pranks, the skirting of scary places, until a dare would put us in the cemetery or an empty building "supposedly haunted" all were a part of the pageantry of Halloween.

Tonight with a big bowl of candy at the door, porch light on, we had Trick Or Treaters still in the tradition in a way. There was one exception though, lone kids or kids in a group were shotgunned by a Daddy or Mom -- perhaps a big brother or uncle. It is so much more dangerous nowadays than it was when we were kids. Made me glad to see the excitement and adventure shine from the kids eyes much as it did from mine. At least Mom would tell me, "Why you are positively glowing after going for handouts." And it might have been fact because that experience was educating me to cope with life on my terms I think.

Made me thing of the arc light at the corners of residential sections of our town. That was where the action was when I was a kid. Neighborhood kids of all ages would be out in the light of the arc, different activities by different groups, but all of us playing nicely, albeit arguing a bit here and there.

At different times one would hear the call, "Bobby, time to come in," fill in the names. The early calls were for the youngest of the group and I knew I had grown when I was one of the last ones called.

It is such a shame that kids don't dare do things like that anymore, it was such fun. Now, it is late 10:30 and I am a WEARY EERIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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