Remembering Halloween

Sometimes the air was cool and smelled of autumn leaves and chimney smoke.  But many times it was still warm and humid with sweat dripping down my back, causing my costume to stick to my salty skin.

It did not matter though, I made the laps around the blocks, pretending to be whichever persona my mom and I came up with that year.  I spoke so many “Trick or Treat”s and “Thank You”s, over and over and over again.

A few houses had people at the door ready to jump out and scary music playing in the background, maybe pretend smoke billowing from some machine.  Others had sweet older ladies at the door with quiet and softly lit Jack-O-Lanterns glowing in the night and bowls overflowing with mini Snickers and Tootsie Roll pops.

There was the one house that I was hesitant to walk up to every year, the yard full of R.I.P., the trees swinging with ghosts and goblins. I was brave though since I knew the payoff would be worth it.  I made my way down the creepy sidewalk, lined with spider webs, under my mother’s watchful eye.

At home I would pour out my loot on the green shag carpet and separate it into piles.  Chocolate, hard candy, gum, lollipops and “miscellaneous”.  I would frown at the boxes of raisins or little bags of peanuts.

After delighting in the yummy-ness of it all I would scarf down a couple of pieces of chocolate before Mom would say it was time to get ready for bed.  Any make-up was washed off of my face and my hair brushed, as well as teeth.  Then past my bedtime, I would settle under the covers, my mind racing with those pretend ghoulish creatures, my belly full of sugar…