In my SMF
days we usually made our own costumes ourselves. We went through the closets,
bureaus, and sewing kits for buttons, bows and the like about a week before
Halloween. Snippets of anything were a potential costume. White, brown and
black shoe polish could come in handy. Now, into the medicine cabinet and
vanity for make-up that could be spared: red lipstick for blood, blue eye
shadow for glamour, green for gory stuff. Old dresses, hats and shoes presented
other possibilities.
This year I
became a gypsy; an old dress, a petticoat, some draped fabric, a bejeweled turban
on the head with a feather! Stunning for sure!
My brother
was to go as Casper. I was not about to settle for just another ghost costume
with a sheet over the head and two eye slits. No-siree-Bob. This would be a
custom costume with a fitted Casper head helmet. Included was a fitted white
costume with feet and legs like Casper.
“Come over
here. I need to make the eyeholes.”
Down went
the fitted helmet head. Eye placement was traced onto the fabric.
“I can’t
breathe.”
“OK, you can get
a nose too!”
This was the
first year I could walk about the neighborhood trick-or-treating, just me and
my brother, no parents. With bags of loot in tow, we artfully maneuvered the
neighborhood.
We circled one
block then the next. We arrived at our final destination…the convent. We line
up at the steps and wait our turn behind the other hobgoblins and costumed kids.
As we approach the front door of the convent, we see a line of nuns across the
foyer with smiles as they try to place the masked faces with the names of their
students. At the front door is a nun I don’t know, perhaps the cook? She is
handing out home-made candies on a platter.
“Trick-or-treat.”
It was such
a unique moment, we didn’t know if we should genuflect or not, what being on
hallowed ground and all!
“Thank you,
Sisters!”
We run down
the stairs and headed home.
“I can’t
breathe” says my brother.
“OK, you can
take the helmet off now.”
“Thanks!” He
said while gasping for air.
The next day
we were back at school, still on our sugar high. As the nuns looked around the
room there were freshly scrubbed faces about the classroom. In the cracks and crevices
of our smiles were the remnants of color from the night before….white, red,
blue and green. I’m sure the nuns were still smiling inside.
Happy Halloween
Cathy
