Post by Blithian on Oct 14, 2006 14:32:17 GMT -5
"Ma, I don't want to wear that sweater over my batman costume, I'll look like a dork."
"It's cold outside tonight, Bobby, and it's windy. I'll not have you catching pneumonia!"
"Maaaaa..."
"Here, I'm putting it on you -- hold your arms up, Bobby -- and you're going to wear it or you don't -- there -- go out at all! And this year you're going to take your little sister along with you too..."
"WHAT?
""...and you're going to watch out for her while you're going from door to door and make sure she gets some candy too."
"Ma, she's too little. She can't keep up with us guys..."
"Then you guys will have to walk a little slower. SALLY! HURRY UP YOUR BROTHER'S ABOUT TO LEAVE!"
"Maaaa, Sally isn't wearing a sweater..."
"She's wearing it under her princess costume, Bobby. Come over here, Sally. Where's your candy-sack?"
"Oh! I left it upstairs in my room. I’ll go get it!"
"Ma, the other boys'll laugh at me for having to bring my kid sister along..."
"Doesn't Billy bring his kid brother along every year?"
"Well, yeah, but he's a guy!"
"Here I am, Mommy!"
"Ohhh, you look so cute in that costume, Sally!"
"Ma, we gotta go, the guys'll be waitin' at the corner..."
"All right, dear...Keep an eye on your sister now! Hold her hand! Bye!"
"Bye, Mommy!"
"Bye, Sally. Hurry up now, your brother's already out the door! Be careful crossing the street! Have fun!"
And that's how that night began, so long ago. I still remember every word spoken! The first thing I did was ditch that sweater in the garage on the way out, and made Sally promise not to tell. My sister was only five years old back then, in 1948, and I was a big boy -- all of eight.
The other boys were waiting on the corner just as we'd planned in secret those last days of school before the holiday. Our leader was Jimmy Shore, and then there was Billy Katz and his kid brother, Nathan. Nathan was already in the second grade, so my sister was the youngest. There were some protests about bringing a girl with us, but I explained I had no choice if they wanted me to join them. They grumbled, but agreed to have her tag along.
We visited all the houses in the neighborhood one by one, as we did every year, but then Jimmy suggested something new. "Let's go trick or treating at old Miss Hardwicke's house!"
"Miss Hardwicke, who teaches at the high school?" I exclaimed with a shudder, "I heard she's a witch!"
"She IS a witch!" said Billy, “"That's what all the guys say!"
"And she lives in that big, creepy old house right next to the graveyard," added Nathan.
"So...what? Are you guys all chicken?" challenged Jimmy.
"I’ll go," said my kid sister, stepping forward, "I’d like to see what a real witch looks like!"
"See?" jeered Jimmy to the rest of us, "Bobby's little sister isn't afraid! Now who else wants to go with me?"
Well, of course we all stepped forward after that. We just HAD to. I wanted to strangle Sally. So, off we went, across the street and through the vacant lot where we played ball.
After we crossed another street with more woods than houses, we could see the old cemetery fence and gate in the dim light. There were no streetlights in that part of town in those days, so all we had was the moonlight and Billy's flashlight. But we had to pass by the cemetery before we could get to Miss Hardwicke's old house.
"Um, c-can’t we go by on the other side of the street?" Nathan asked.
"You chicken, Nathan?" countered Jimmy.
"No...it's just that -- um -- there's a little more light over there."
"Yeah, right." laughed Jimmy, "C’mon, you guys, let's go into the cemetery and then we'll see who's chicken and who's not!"
"I’ll go!" I heard myself saying and then I wanted to strangle me. Everyone else, in turn, reluctantly agreed, so in we went, following Jimmy. Billy had his flashlight. My kid sister was holding my hand extra tightly -- or maybe I was holding hers that way, I don't remember now, as the rusty cast-iron gate slowly screeched its way open.
The old cemetery was creepy in the daytime, but at night it was positively frightening. Row upon row of old tombstones, some tilted at strange angles, some broken. Some had pictures on them of cherubs with wings, or weeping willow trees. The cherubs were scary because each one seemed to be looking right at you. There were a few tall pillars and one structure like a small house with an iron door -- a crypt.
As we moved deeper into the cemetery, we were all looking pretty scared except Jimmy. I suddenly realized that Jimmy wasn't with us anymore.
"Where's Jimmy?" I asked. Billy swung his flashlight all around but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Then we heard it -- a frightening moaning sound coming from somewhere nearby.
"Wooooooooo," cried the mysterious voice, "Wooooo..."
And just as Billy swung his flashlight on the crypt, a figure jumped out at us with a heart-stopping "BOO!" Billy dropped the flashlight and we all hightailed it toward the gate and safety! We were already on the sidewalk before we realized it was Jimmy pulling one of his tricks. And then I also realized I wasn't holding my sister's hand anymore.
Jimmy came out of the gate, practically puking with laughter. He couldn't even talk for several minutes. "I really got you guys!" he kept repeating.
"Where's my sister Sally?" I asked, now worried Ma would tan my hide for losing her.
"I lost my flashlight," complained Billy.
"Well, I lost my SISTER, that's way more worse than your stupid flashlight," I shouted!
Suddenly a beam of light shone on all of us. "Here it is, I picked it up!" It was Sally's voice and I could have kissed her, I was so relieved. Well, almost. Apparently Sally had been standing near us all along, in the shadows. And one of her kindergarten friends was standing beside her as she gave the flashlight to Billy. I didn't remember her joining us earlier, but she must have met Sally along the way and tagged along behind us.
"Who's your friend?" I asked my sister, "Ma might not like us taking other kids along with us."
"It's okay," Sally replied, "Her name is Martha and she wants to come with us if your don't mind."
"Another girl?" complained Nathan.
"It's all right," stated our leader, Jimmy, "She can tag along if she wants to. We already got one little girl. Heck, the way you guys were running before, I think you're ALL little girls!"
We all winced at that remark, but couldn't deny we'd run and had been scared. Well, at least Sally had a friend her own age to pal with and I could feel closer to the guys.
When we got to Miss Hardwicke's spooky old house, there was another moment of hesitation. Nobody wanted to be the first to reach her front door, up on the large verandah. Again my little sister showed us all up, as she and her friend stepped boldly through the gate, and up the path to the stairs. We all followed as a body.
"TRICK OR TREAT!" we yelled. The porchlight suddenly snapped on and the front door opened. We all stepped back a bit.
"My goodness, I haven't had any youngsters come trick or treating here for years!" exclaimed a lovely voice as a kindly looking, gray-haired lady stepped into the light. "Fortunately, I do have some cookies, if you don't mind waiting a little."
"You don't look ANYTHING like a witch," my sister blurted out."You don't even have a broom or anything..."
"Shhhhhhh!" I hissed at her.
But Miss Hardwicke only laughed as she went inside and soon reappeared with a plate of home made cookies and insisted we each have a glass of milk too. "My, aren't you two the cutest little girls," she smiled at my sister and her friend, "A princess are you? And, and -- a Pilgrim girl?"
"Thank you," my sister said. "This is Martha. She's very shy."
Well, by the time we left Miss Hardwicke's, we only had time to trick or treat about six more houses and then it was time to go home. As we passed by the old cemetery again, we all moved a little faster. At last we got to our neighborhood, and we all congratulated each other for having a really great Halloween.
I reached for Sally's hand and then noticed her little friend Martha wasn't with her. "Did Martha go home?" I asked.
"Yes," my sister replied, smiling, "She said she had a wonderful time!"
As we reached our house, Sally and I went through the garage so I could put my sweater back on before we confronted Ma. "I didn't see Martha leave," I said, "where does she live?"
"In the cemetery," my sister casually remarked, "Martha said she died a long time ago. But she hopes she can join us again next year!"
I didn't know what to say. Before the next Halloween, my Mom and Dad moved to another state, so we didn't see Martha again. I still can't believe she was a ghost, she seemed so REAL.
Copyright (C) 2004, John Bliven Morin
.
and 
all
time for me 
echoes, hope you all are doing well 
