Chesterton, Ohio in 1968. Mom came from Texas to visit just about this time of year. A beautiful autumn in the Midwest.
My small tots were excitedly planning their Halloween costumes—a pink sparkly princess outfit for the two-year, a glow-in-the-dark skeleton for the four-year-old, and for the seven-year-old, his grandmother arrived with a fabulous clown ensemble she had sewn. Lime green and purple polka dot.
Mom’s presence was most welcome at trick or treat time. She and Jack and I each had charge of a child. As we gave the kids their goodie bags, Mom left the room and came back with a bottle of Elmer’s glue. She had also made the little clown’s flaming orange fright wig which was attached to a one her cut-off silk stockings to keep it in place on his head. “Just a few dabs here and there,” she said as she lifted the yarn in places.
Our wee cast of characters, along with their three chaperones, delighted in ringing doorbells in the neighborhood and filling their trick or treat bags with candy.
It was only much later in the evening that Halloween turned spooky.
Bedtime. Out of the costumes and into pajamas.
As mom jerked the clown wig from her grandson’s head, or tried to, the little guy howled. “Ouch, that hurts. Stop!” he shrieked putting both hands on either side of his head in defiance.
The Elmer’s Glue had dried, and the wig firmly stuck to his hair.
He slept in it and shortly after pancakes the next morning, little by little the unhappy clown’s grandmother methodically cut the wig from his head, leaving a hodgepodge haircut that lasted throughout the holidays.
But no more tears.
*****
Just bought this very cool plate from Target...and the eyes too!
I'm getting ready!
How about you? Got anything going?
Working on this look for
Halloween Zoom Time!
Some more Halloween stories in my book!
That’s a great Halloween story Marilyn. Will miss the trick of treaters this year. JC
Reading your little Halloween story brought back many lovely memories of your Mother...especially the Princess Part & the sweet little flirtation that she & Ken enjoyed!
Love, Jude
What a wonderful grandmother even if the results were not so wonderful. M.
Marilyn,
Loved your Halloween story! Here are some of my decorations so far. We're going all out this year,cuz we have so much time. I can only imagine what Christmas will look like!
Marty🎃
Hi Marilyn - Enjoyed reading your story about Halloween. It made me feel like a rather boring and uninventive mother. It is our Thanksgiving today (and even that dinner will be boring and uninventive - just same old, same old. We used to do deep-fried turkeys, but then it got to be a bother getting rid of all of that oil, so now it is back to just oven-baked (and not by me, one of my kids is bringing the turkey and another the trimmings. Jackie
Funny story. But what you’re missing that we really wanted to see was a picture of the haircut after the wig got shorn off! CF
I have been walking more than usual around the neighborhood these days precisely because I am so interested in seeing what everybody is up to (there is quite a bit of Halloween decorations around here). I don't believe that many children will be trick-or-treating this year but they are already walking in the evenings with the parents enjoying the decorations (the more gory, the better, it seems). RS