Sunday, October 31, 2010

JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN

I recently read a novel called 'The Historian'.  It involves a bunch of professor types tracking down the still extant Vlad The Impaler, aka Dracula.  The scariest thing about this novel -- aside from much of the prose  -- is the length of the thing.  But once I found myself invested in fifty pages or so, I decided to forge on.
Now, I can't for the life of me think of anyone to whom I would recommend the book.

* * *

Asked at school recess on the Primary yard:  What are you going to be on Halloween?  The tally is in.

6 Ironmen  (That's six versions of Ironman.)
4 Princesses
3 Hanna Montanas
4 Witches
1 Hello Kitty
3 Draculas
1 Hippie
1 Fire Hydrant
1 Billy the Exterminator
4 Monsters
4 Ghosts
2 Bats

The kids also asked me what I was going to be.  I told them a guy in an iron lung.

* * *

Guess I better roll out my costume.  They'll be pounding on the door in about half an hour.

2 comments:

Gorilla Bananas said...

Does anyone ever ask these children what the trick is before giving them a treat? The whole thing seems like a protection racket to me.

Doctorboogaloo said...

GB -- I had actually forgotten this episode until you mentioned 'trick'.

About ten years ago, a bunch of kids knocked on the door and yelled 'Trick or Treat!' I said I was all out and they'd better give me the trick. Without missing a beat, one little boy (about eight years old) pulled out a deck of cards and asked me to pick one. His little hands were nearly frozen, but damn, he carried off the trick. (Of course, I knew how he did it. But still... it was marvellous.) They all got double stuff.

When I was a kid, the tricks were performed by the homeowners. Case in point: they invited us in for hot chocolate, got us comfy, and suddenly Aunt Matilda would appear from the shadows, goiter and all, regaling us with songs from 'My Fair Lady'. I still shudder when I hear those songs.