Halloween '63

In a fit of childish cruelty, my older brother informed me there was no such thing as Santa Clause. “Santa, elves and guardian angels are made up stories to make little girls behave.” Gleefully he added, “Everybody knows but you.”

I shot back, “If there aren’t any angels then there can’t be a devil, you can’t have one without the other because the devil’s a fallen angel.” I had remembered that from church. He told me there was a real devil and one day I’d be sorry.

But by 1963 I was ten and well over the loss of a flesh and blood Santa. Halloween was my new favorite day because all you had to do to get candy was wear a costume. That year I dressed up as a gypsy fortune-teller. I wore a paisley scarf on my head and an old skirt with playing cards stapled to the hem. My next-door neighbor and best friend Peggy, was a cat. She wore a black turtle-necked sweater and matching ski pants. Her mother made ears and whiskers out of pipe cleaners. We were so excited this was the first year of trick-or-treating without having to babysit any of the younger kids.

We met up with Barb Medinger and the McKay twins, Mary and Joan, at the McKay house. Barb dressed as an artist and wore a beret her father bought in France during the war and a white shirt with big sleeves. Mary and Joan dressed as ghosts and pulled old bed sheets over their heads with holes cut out for their eyes.

It was windy when we set out, our excitement heightened by the dark houses and rustling bushes. Our adventure started at the Drakes who gave caramel apples. Next the Archer’s gave packets of M & M’s. There was homemade salt-water taffy at the Lee’s. Mrs. Lee, dressed as one of the munchkin ballerinas from The Wizard of Oz, sang for us. By the end of the block our bags were filed with licorice whips, chocolate nut bars, popcorn balls, malted milk balls and ribbon taffy.

We were feeling pretty lucky and wanted to increase our loot, so we debated on whether we should risk it and cross the big street: Ashland Avenue.

Ashland was the busy street that separated the rich houses on the hill from our side by the railroad tracks. We were told never to cross that street because it was too dangerous.

But, we were big girls now, we were in the fifth grade and we wanted more candy. Mary and Joan McKay backed out because they promised their Mom they would not go beyond our block.

Peggy, Barb and I crossed into the unknown while Mary and Joan walked towards Mr. Armstrong’s house. We waved and watched the twins pass under the amber streetlight as the wind ballooned their ghost costumes.

We didn’t know the neighbors on that side of the street so we decided to go to only two houses. At the first house a young couple gave us little bags filled with candy corn. Next, an older woman gave us homemade sugar cookies wrapped with wax paper.

Encouraged by the friendly faces, we walked along the shadowy sidewalk and searched for the next porch light when a car with two older boys pulled up to the curb.

One boy leaned out of the window, “Hey little girl want some candy?”

“Candy? Sure!” I started to move forward.

Peggy grabbed my arm and whispered, “No don’t. Kidnappers.”

I stepped back and muttered no thanks.

The driver said something and the boy at the window laughed. The tires spat dirt as the car sped forward. We held each other and watched them turn left by the Armstrong house.

Peggy grabbed my arm and pulled me across Ashland in the middle of the block; back to our side of the street and safety.

Finally inside Peggy’s house, we sipped hot chocolate and dipped vanilla wafers into the steamy cups. Barb and I swapped a chocolate nut bar and a bag of

M & M’s because Barb can’t eat nuts. I put my hands on my knees and told Peggy this was the best holiday ever.

Once home I went into my room and hid my candy under my pillow because last year my brother stole all of it. My Mom entered my room without knocking and I jumped, I thought it was my brother.

While smoking a Benson and Hedges cigarette, she asked me about my night.

I made her laugh when I told her Mrs. Lee dressed like a Munchkin and sang to us. She said she hoped it was better than last years Betty Boop. I told her we got hot chocolate at Peggy’s house. Then I told her how Peggy saved us from the kidnappers.

“Kidnappers!” Mom said. “Oh my. Well we have no money for ransom. That would be pretty sad, huh? We have your daughter you better give us $200.00. Well, you can keep her because we don’t have any money.” Mom laughed.

“Come on. Time for bed.” She said and left.