Just One Night
By Amy McNamara
Fraher
It was a crisp night; the wind howled, not a single star in the black velvety sky, and yet the moon appeared as if it was gigantic orange ball. The month was October, the month for ghosts and ghouls, the month that celebrates the day of the dead, the month that some say is brought on by Satan; but for most it is the month for sweet, yummy, and oh so delicious holiday known as Halloween. From the very first day of this wonderful month; and for some it may start even earlier than that, the ideas of costume and decorations start to unfold. Children began to concoct just who or what they want to be, the layout of their path of which houses have the best treats, the practicing of saying that perfect phrase, “Trick or Treat… Please”. Adults climb into their attics, basements, and garages to collect their desired yard ornaments; may they be spiders, witches, zombies, or just a typical pumpkin. Lights and cords alike are strewn across the yards, devious carvings of the pumpkins displayed by the front door, “Beware of the Dead” signs entail the walkway, and as for the entry way – the pit of all things good – is usually donned with a fall-like wreath or a wickedly decorated welcoming of some sort.
Welcome to the world of Halloween! Or as Emma liked to call it, Welcome to the world of the “best-est” holiday ever! Well with the exception of Santa Clause and Christmas… Emma was seven years old, Emma loved candy, and most of all Emma loved Halloween. To go to the local outlet store and gaze at costume after costume, her mind changing every time she saw one that had a pointy hat, which donned glittery wings, that came with a tail and cat-like ears; the decisions that had to be made. Does she carry the typical pumpkin container, does she bring her pink pillowcase that she used last year that held tons of candy, or does she pick something new? The right container says it all in regards to candy volume; no candy too small due to it getting lost in the shuffle, no candy too large since that is valuable wasted space. Now that Emma had just the right costume, just the right container, and with her dad’s helps finding just the right path; her goal was to get the most candy ever in the few hours that Halloween existed!
As the clock strikes with the small hand on the six and the big hand on the twelve it is show time. Emma dressed head to toe appearing as a young vampire; her costume existing of a long black silky dress, and a matching long black silky cape with red on the inside, her hair twisted back so you could see her pale white skin and blood red lips enclosing her white vampy teeth, her hands adored black spider rings, with the final touch of a small rubber bat riding shot gun on her left shoulder – Buford was his name.
“Dad, it’s time! I don’t wanna be the last kid out the door! Dad!” Emma shouts.
As Dad grabs himself a flashlight and Emma’s red glow stick he replies with the usual “I’m coming! I’m coming!”
Out the door they go, pre-drawn map that Emma herself drew of the neighborhood in one hand and a black plastic cauldron in the other hand, with Dad trailing behind. As each house was approached Emma prepared for her moment; cape on straight… check, teeth in correctly… check, cauldron positioned in left hand (right hand was for ringing the doorbell)… check, all systems were a go!
“Trick or Treat! Please…” Emma proudly says to the elderly woman sitting on her porch swing, of course making sure her goody basket was duly noted.
“My, just look at you, it seems I have been visited by a mystical creature of the night,” noted the elderly woman, and just as she noticed Emma’s costume Emma noticed the two mini snicker bars placed in her bucket. Emma said her farewells and moved on.
After going from house to house and neighborhood to neighborhood, her pointy black boots were beginning to hurt her feet; not only that but Dad was seeing wear and tear on his as well. Emma couldn’t wait to get home and dump out all her goodies on the table, she would divide them into various categories like “the good stuff” (candy bars, starbursts, and twizzlers) “the grandma candy (the kind that the elderly have had around forever and none dares to eat), “the chewies” (gum, tootsie rolls, caramels), “the teeth breakers” (lollipops, jawbreakers, and fireballs), and finally the strangest items left were “the no-eat-ums” (Halloween pencils, Halloween erasers, and small silly toys… like MORE spider rings).
As Emma and Dad approached the house the street was filled with many visiting children seeking their own treats. Mom and big brother were handing our infamous popcorn balls out to a devil, a witch, and two princess fairies.
Emma went into the house and kicked off her boots, you could hear the swoosh of her bucket emptying onto the floor followed by squeals of delight.
“Emma, did you get me any Kit Kat bars? Emma…” Mom asked.
When Mom received no reply, she went into the living room to find Emma fast asleep amongst all of her Halloween treats; probably dreaming of more spider rings.
It was a crisp night; the wind howled, not a single star in the black velvety sky, and yet the moon appeared as if it was gigantic orange ball. The month was October, the month for ghosts and ghouls, the month that celebrates the day of the dead, the month that some say is brought on by Satan; but for most it is the month for sweet, yummy, and oh so delicious holiday known as Halloween. From the very first day of this wonderful month; and for some it may start even earlier than that, the ideas of costume and decorations start to unfold. Children began to concoct just who or what they want to be, the layout of their path of which houses have the best treats, the practicing of saying that perfect phrase, “Trick or Treat… Please”. Adults climb into their attics, basements, and garages to collect their desired yard ornaments; may they be spiders, witches, zombies, or just a typical pumpkin. Lights and cords alike are strewn across the yards, devious carvings of the pumpkins displayed by the front door, “Beware of the Dead” signs entail the walkway, and as for the entry way – the pit of all things good – is usually donned with a fall-like wreath or a wickedly decorated welcoming of some sort.
Welcome to the world of Halloween! Or as Emma liked to call it, Welcome to the world of the “best-est” holiday ever! Well with the exception of Santa Clause and Christmas… Emma was seven years old, Emma loved candy, and most of all Emma loved Halloween. To go to the local outlet store and gaze at costume after costume, her mind changing every time she saw one that had a pointy hat, which donned glittery wings, that came with a tail and cat-like ears; the decisions that had to be made. Does she carry the typical pumpkin container, does she bring her pink pillowcase that she used last year that held tons of candy, or does she pick something new? The right container says it all in regards to candy volume; no candy too small due to it getting lost in the shuffle, no candy too large since that is valuable wasted space. Now that Emma had just the right costume, just the right container, and with her dad’s helps finding just the right path; her goal was to get the most candy ever in the few hours that Halloween existed!
As the clock strikes with the small hand on the six and the big hand on the twelve it is show time. Emma dressed head to toe appearing as a young vampire; her costume existing of a long black silky dress, and a matching long black silky cape with red on the inside, her hair twisted back so you could see her pale white skin and blood red lips enclosing her white vampy teeth, her hands adored black spider rings, with the final touch of a small rubber bat riding shot gun on her left shoulder – Buford was his name.
“Dad, it’s time! I don’t wanna be the last kid out the door! Dad!” Emma shouts.
As Dad grabs himself a flashlight and Emma’s red glow stick he replies with the usual “I’m coming! I’m coming!”
Out the door they go, pre-drawn map that Emma herself drew of the neighborhood in one hand and a black plastic cauldron in the other hand, with Dad trailing behind. As each house was approached Emma prepared for her moment; cape on straight… check, teeth in correctly… check, cauldron positioned in left hand (right hand was for ringing the doorbell)… check, all systems were a go!
“Trick or Treat! Please…” Emma proudly says to the elderly woman sitting on her porch swing, of course making sure her goody basket was duly noted.
“My, just look at you, it seems I have been visited by a mystical creature of the night,” noted the elderly woman, and just as she noticed Emma’s costume Emma noticed the two mini snicker bars placed in her bucket. Emma said her farewells and moved on.
After going from house to house and neighborhood to neighborhood, her pointy black boots were beginning to hurt her feet; not only that but Dad was seeing wear and tear on his as well. Emma couldn’t wait to get home and dump out all her goodies on the table, she would divide them into various categories like “the good stuff” (candy bars, starbursts, and twizzlers) “the grandma candy (the kind that the elderly have had around forever and none dares to eat), “the chewies” (gum, tootsie rolls, caramels), “the teeth breakers” (lollipops, jawbreakers, and fireballs), and finally the strangest items left were “the no-eat-ums” (Halloween pencils, Halloween erasers, and small silly toys… like MORE spider rings).
As Emma and Dad approached the house the street was filled with many visiting children seeking their own treats. Mom and big brother were handing our infamous popcorn balls out to a devil, a witch, and two princess fairies.
Emma went into the house and kicked off her boots, you could hear the swoosh of her bucket emptying onto the floor followed by squeals of delight.
“Emma, did you get me any Kit Kat bars? Emma…” Mom asked.
When Mom received no reply, she went into the living room to find Emma fast asleep amongst all of her Halloween treats; probably dreaming of more spider rings.
I enjoyed reading this story, It reminds me of pleasant childhood trick-o-treating.
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