It’s finally Autumn. Leaves are starting to turn into those beautiful yellow, brown and orange extravaganzas that are Fall colors. You know, just before they die? October brings us the wonderous sights, and smells, of the end of summer and the start of something cooler. Sometimes Autumn will even linger long enough for us to enjoy it, before we slide headlong into the ugly Winter. In our neck of the woods, we’ll be lucky if we don’t have to endure a few more heat waves before Thanksgiving (or Christmas, maybe?), but at the least we don’t usually have to shovel much of anything to get to our cars. Except mud, perhaps. The cool mornings are enough for the present, and I love them as much as the heathen holiday to come. Yes, my friends, Halloween is coming.
When I was young, I longed for Halloween, with the cheap masks (complete with a faulty rubber band) and tons of candy to rot your teeth out. The one time of the year when it was socially acceptable-nay, expected-to beg from door to door. “Fall Festivals” at the local church, bobbing for apples, blindfolded games where you stuck your hand in a box, feeling cooked spaghetti and raw hamburger meat to freak you out. Ah, those were the days. It was okay to get scared back then, even when you knew what was going on. Costume contests were taken seriously, and pictures were coveted of a favorite outfit. Children walked the block around their house, collecting all sorts of goodies. Suckers, jawbreakers, sweet-tarts, and candy bars were popular. You still said “thank you” if a well-meaning adult gave you an apple, or orange, but it was only because your momma taught you manners. Old metal flashlights were used going up and down the sidewalk, even if the streetlights were on. Every kid gets a kick out of using a flashlight, after all. Neighbors watched out for errant kids, because they were expecting us to watch out for theirs, too. We had fun. We got sick on candy. It was over too quickly.
Kids like to dress up in scary costumes and play pranks on each other. Some of us adults still enjoy it. I know I do. The thrill of being scared follows us to our teen years, and beyond. It may be silly to wait in hiding to jump out of the dark at your buddy coming around the corner, but it’s still fun. A set of vampire teeth helps raise the jump height a little, too. I think that a healthy scare, now and again, is good for you. These kinds sure beat the adult-type fears of missing too many car payments or forgetting your wifes birthday. Now, THAT’S some scary stuff.
Since I think we all like a good scare occasionally, I’m going to be bringing you a few “spooky stories” this month. Some are true, some not. Either way, don’t take them too seriously. Remember, it’s supposed to be fun. If you get scared, there’s no extra charge. If you read the stories by flashlight, under the covers, it might help. Enjoy!
Rolling Stones 