Perhaps the memory of my mother frantically finishing up costumes for her five wailing kids is the reason. Maybe it was the haunted house that made me pee my pants. Could have been my vomiting after eating too much candy.
Maybe it was the long hours spent trying to dress up my own children, or the weeks of preparation trying to package up goodies for the trick or treaters who would come to my bakery, or the stress of having a costume for myself that was recognizable, or the walking in the cold rain with my own kids.
Whatever the reason, I don’t like Halloween.
I have very few memories of Halloween as a child. I do remember two of the costumes that my mother, who was a wizard at a sewing machine, made for me. One was a black cat costume, with a long swishy tail, which I loved. The other was an Ostrich costume, which I hated because it was uncomfortable, but which won first place at the town’s costume contest. I also remember that we trick or treated without an adult in tow. We were cut loose to go where we would, just like every other day in our lives, except that we had a costume on. My mother probably poured herself a glass of wine and sat on the porch to greet the kids that came to our door, while her own kids were out getting pillow cases full of sweets from the other mothers, who were all sitting on their porches sipping wine, delighted that the dreaded holiday would soon be over.
But even though I do not like Halloween (hate is a word that could be used here, but I’m trying to get in the mood), I do have a favorite Halloween memory.
My favorite memory of Halloween is a freewrite I wrote.
It was the first time I ever used The Most Dangerous Writing App. Using this app was required for the contest I wanted to enter. I thought “How hard can it be?” The first time was a breeze – I wrote a fabulous story! I guess I was on a special roll that day, because I have tried to write a story with that app many times ever since, and have failed each time. If you have never tried to use this app for a freewrite, or for anything, I recommend you do so. The trick is to not stop writing! If you stop, even for a brief moment, everything you have written is erased!!!
I reproduce the story for you here. I hope this doesn't violate the post recycling rule, and that you enjoy my little freewrite. It's one of my personal favorites.
The Grumpy Granny
Granny was grumpy, so grumpy she did not even meet me at the door. Instead, she was sitting at her table knitting socks as I let myself in.
There were socks everywhere. Socks on the table, socks on the counters, socks hanging over the faucet knobs, socks on the stove, socks on the TV, on the door knob, covering her bed and the stairs to the attic.
I had to ask. "Granny! What are all these socks for?"
"I am giving them out for Halloween you dummy. What do you think?"
"Granny, kids do not want socks for Halloween, they want candy. What is wrong with you?"
"Good, then maybe they won't come around next year. I have always hated Halloween."
"What?! I thought you liked Halloween! You always made those cool costumes remember? Remember the time you knitted me that fabulous ostrich costume?"
"Yes indeed I do. That is exactly why I am so grumpy. I was cleaning out the attic and I found that stupid costume that cost me an entire month to knit."
"Oh I would love to see it again! Maybe my son will wear it."
"Too late. Where do you think I got all this yarn?"
This is my entry to #silverbloggers current Blog of the Week Contest. If you are young at heart but getting up there in years, silverbloggers community is the place for you. Come on by!
