Happy Halloween everyone!

Not many understand this holiday, but its become one of candy and trickery. I prefer the later over the former. Even so, Halloween is known in the United States as one of the most deceptive Holidays from the point of view of law enforcement. So many individuals teeter along the edge of sanity and insanity that its hard to ascertain how far things may go. It really is a holiday ripe for Cloak and Dagger operations.

One of the stories I've told students deals with how prior to moving to my new home, I would set up traps and trickery along with candy as a presentation. Our home was one of the top in the neighborhood for conjuring up something original. So every year I would scare enough Ghosts, Goblins, Barbies, Satans... and groups... oh yes... groups and groups of people. I remember last year when the justice league bolted through our gates, and as soon as I drew my real sword out and dropped the sheath with a half-white, half-black face.....they ran away into oblivion screaming mad.

The story I tell is a reminder of how over-protective parents are during Halloween.

In one of my setups, I remember how provocative and fearful I made myself and the group. Our aim was initially to do a violent cosplay on bringing characters to life. From the Grim Reaper, all the way to the Legend of the Fallen Soldier. There is an unwritten pact around where I live that even though many are in costumes, that while we want trick or treat to go well, that we don't want to deal with kidnappers, etc. I've seen many families who look out for any child out there, even not their own...

One such year after so many were scared away. A record breaking 400+ people...we thought... "hey maybe its over. Serves them right!" as Halloween is about surviving through waves and waves of trick or treaters...

One such little girl appeared before us...
As part of the trap warrants... "If you make it to the end, you shall be rewarded beyond toil and death"
Her parents stayed back....
Telling her to return to her....

"Come back, we love you!" as the parents were at the entrance and other children in costume joined her, and ran away at us.."

She was smiling as she kept running towards us....

She wasn't scared by the Grim Reaper with the Real Scythe twirling around...
Nor was she scared of the Twins with their claws and shrieks..
Nor was she scared of my fractured face, carrier of the unholy blade...

Even the man with the Chainsaw....and his partner....
The zombie farmer with the ball and chain.....
could not cause this oblivious girl to flinch...

Even the witch of ives,
could not contain this girl....

So finally,
she reached us...

"Best Costumes Ever!!" She said to us....
"Is that a real sword?" ....

I looked to her and said "What are you supposed to be?"
Glowing in Blue, White, and Black....she declared herself as the Witch Princess...
and I said "Here you go...but careful, its sharp"

She said she liked swords...and always wanted to hold a real one.
I told her "It weighs a lot doesn't it?"
then her attention focused on the Grim Reaper's Scythe..

The Reaper told her "Its real... Here you go, hold it where both of my hands are."

The parents and others showed up...as there were several people huddled around that little girl.
I told her "Congratulations on knowing what halloween is all about"
she said "I like costumes. Everyone wears them!"

...and the parents opened their mouth
"Those are real.... Kids shouldn't touch them"

and the Witch of Ives said "Where were you when your girl went alone... scared? Or did you forget???"

The Witch Princess had known that as long as it looks like halloween, it smells like halloween, and it feels like halloween, that one does not need to be scared of everything. Being scared were for those who did not accept halloween.

So we gave her two cans of Soda, and a several candies.

An Angry Person came into our yard and said "You want to know fear? I'll show you fear" as he turned on a Gas Powered Chainsaw....threatening to cut us up. We broke character and said "Stand Still and Do not Move" ... "Turn it off nice and slowly" and he said "You have yours on.... " and we said "We don't have five kids behind us who will be hacked if you swing that thing around..."

The Witch Princess left us as she said
"see you next year!"

Its amazing as when one embraces Halloween and the imagination...how it comes alive and expands the mind..
However, when one Rejects it, one starts to fear everything about it.

Scythes and Swords are heavy.
Carrying them drains strength so we always took breaks..
Especially with how the wind could sheer the face to pieces if it was too cold within the wind chill...

Halloween is my second favorite holiday of the year,
My favorite being Thankgiving, which I dubbed as "xmas without the bullshit....an honest holiday"

There is nothing quite like Halloween in the spirit of the world...
Where Beautiful Ugly takes center stage and
wonder is deception is at every corner.

Happy Halloween everyone!