This is a 15 minute “free write,” so who knows what’s going to come up. I don’t even know if I’ll use this once I finish…

It’s Halloween, and my son is home sick from school. His dad brought him home this morning (it was his overnight last night), and when they got here, his dad texted saying he didn’t feel well. This kid loves school and Halloween, so for him to opt to stay home today means he really isn’t feeling great. He’s spent the day watching movies and staying fed and hydrated, so I think he’ll be up for a quick round of trick-or-treating tonight.

He’s almost 16, and he still loves to dress up and get candy. He’s going as “the wolf from Mary Poppins Returns” this year, and the costume is a makeshift ensemble that I’ve pieced together as I do every year for this boy. He’s been Tupac, Puck from Glee, Ferdinand the bull, and now this wolf. I’m no professional costume designer, but he loves it, and I have fun doing it.

The weather is good here for Halloween – sunny for a change. We usually have rain and wind at this time of year which makes for a soggy night of candy collecting. It’s nice to have some crisp, sunny days.

I loved Halloween when I was little. There was a group of girls on my street, and we would dress up and head out with our pillowcases and mothers and make the rounds throughout the neighborhood. This was back in the 1970’s when EVERYONE was out getting candy, and sometimes people would run out! You’d ring the bell, and they’d come to the door with pennies because their Snickers bars were all gone. We’d be disappointed but say thank you anyway and move along quickly to the next house.

One year, three of us girls (and we couldn’t have been more than 10) climbed the steps to one of the spookier homes on the block. The screen door was closed, but the interior door was opened, so we could see into the house, which was illuminated by a dim orange lamp sitting on a table against the wall. We’d been out for a good hour or so at this point and were getting tired. Our moms waited at the street for us. As we stood there, wondering if anyone was home, we started to get spooked. And then, out of the darkness of the house a WITCH jumped into view and headed toward the door, cackling loudly.

People, do you think we stood there?

HELL NAW!

We three little girls jumped down those steps lickety-split and took off screaming and running toward our mothers as fast as our tiny legs would carry us! One of my friends tripped and fell on the path headed to the street. We did not stop (I still feel bad about that), and she picked herself up and trailed behind us.

Why do people do that? Scare little kids? I mean, looking back, I guess it’s kinda funny. But it really did give us a fright, and one of us fell down.

I think about my son and his autism and what he might have done had the same thing happened to him. Or if it might happen to him tonight. My guess is that, if someone jumped out at him, he would look at them long and hard and then say, “Why are you doing that?”

Maybe we should have done the same to the neighborhood witch, but to tell you the truth, I never went to that house again. It’s gone now. They sold the property, and it was torn down to make room for three new houses. Wonder if any witches live there…

NOTE
This is a stream of consciousness piece that probably has typos and all sorts of other issues, but it’s supposed to be done quickly with no proofing or editing. You’re welcome! Happy Halloween, kids!