As we pick our grandchildren up from preschool they want to make sure that we take the “Tour de Decorations,” and so we make our way down streets with the Blueys, the skeletons cooking out, the HUGE dragon and of course the pumpkins. They just love it and everything Halloween.
That was not always the case for me.
Oh, I did love going Trick or Treating, getting candy, and of course the costumes. My favorite was one year in which my mother made me a spider costume—a huge head complete with what I remember being 6 foot long black pipe cleaner legs. It is still my favorite costume.
But there was another side of Halloween that I dreaded.
It started in First Grade, at East Elementary in Cherryville, NC. I was sitting in Mrs. Sherrill’s class, waiting (not so patiently) for the end of school when we would have our party. Suddenly we heard a disturbance down the hall. It seemed to be getting closer, when suddenly the door burst open and a witch appeared! I’m not talking about someone dressed like a witch, but a real-life-honest-God Witch! We all knew it because she had a witch’s hat on! She had teeth missing, a huge wart on the side of her nose and a broom. It wasn’t the kind of broom that we swept the floor with, but a real witch’s broom made out of straw and wrapped tightly that you knew she just flew in on it!
And her voice! A high squeaky voice that just crackled as she went down the aisle! “Oh you will make a tasty stew little girl!” “And you little boy, you will be great in my pie!” And you little Flowers! I will save you for later!”
I was terrified! She knew my name! I was doomed!
When I got home I told my mother and grandmother about the terror of school and they assured me I was safe. And I was!
But then in second grade, on Halloween, sitting in Wentford’s class we heard the commotion again! And again, the witch burst into the room! The same horrible look, the same crackly voice, the same words of terror as she approached me!
By the time Halloween come in 3rd grade I didn’t want to go to school! What if she came back?
And she did! Terror incarnate!
By the time I entered 4th grade I figured that since we had changed schools I would be safe. Maybe she just haunted East Elementary. We were across town now at South Elementary. Safe.
But NOOOOOO! A little after lunch I heard that horrible laugh. As much as I wanted to, I was brave enough not to hide under my desk, but it didn’t matter. That horrible figure came bursting in, laughing that laugh up and down the aisle until she came to me! Making my blood run cold! Then with a swoop of her cape she was gone!
That afternoon in the bus line someone called out to me. “Flowers. I saw your mom today!”
“When?” I responded.
“The witch! She came to our class!”
I argued, not my mom!
But when I got home….
She hadn’t had time to hide the costume! There it was—the tangled black wig, the hat, the cape, THE BROOM!
Yes. It is hard to believe, but she is a witch!
There was only one conclusion!
MY MOTHER IS A WITCH!
Through the years I have come to reconcile myself with the fact that I come from a long line of witches. That is why this Halloween I will greet children who come to our door with my hat, and Snickers.