Halloween Visit

by DreamDancer

   
Halloween has always been my favorite time of the year. Oh, I love
Christmas and Yule Time too, don't get me wrong, but there's just
something about Halloween, you know?
   
This year, I kinda felt drawn to go back to the old home town for
Halloween. The big city may be great for a lot of things, but small
town America, now that's what it's all about for this season. I would
never have left, but the money was there, and, well, you know how it
is sometimes. But that place can kill you with all the stress,
believe me, I know.
   
Down from my hilltop I went, then straight to Maple Avenue. Does every
small town in America have a Maple Ave.? Seems like they do, but I
kinda like this one the best. There's just something about all the
stately old trees on the wide front yards, those wonderfully colored
leaves piled up, just waiting for a daredevil to take a dive into
them, every porch with at least a chair or two so you can sit outside
and just enjoy watching the day go by.
   
Is there one single stoop that doesn't have a glowing pumpkin or two
on it? And old lady Wyecroft seems to have outdone herself again this
year with her house decorations. I think she lives thru the entire
rest of the year, just for this night. Scary looking old bird, but
ever since I can remember, there hasn't been a kid that hasn't found
her to have a heart of gold on Halloween night when they go to her
house to get scared. Gosh, I wonder how long she's been "old lady
Wyecroft"? Ever since the first Halloween?
   
Ah, but it's a beautiful night. Bit of a nip in the air, but it feels
brisk and clean. And that smell, the smell of Autumn in the air. I
can't describe it really, but I'm pretty sure you know what I mean.
   
Gods, there are tons of kids out tonight. Boy, look at their faces.
They're having a blast. Remember when we were like that? Well,
actually, I kinda think I still am like that. And their folks. Just
standing around watching the kids with smiles on their faces, talking
to folks that they barely know like they are old friends. I kinda
just stand and watch for a while.
 
I feel a sudden warmth, and feel a hand on my shoulder, and trun
around to see Mom standing there with the brightest smile you have
ever seen lighting up her face. Well, she isn't my *real* mom, and
that isn't her name, but it's what I've pretty much always called
her.  It just felt right to do so, if you know what I mean.
 
"I just thought I'd stop by for a bit and see how you're doing" she
said.

"This is your first time coming back home like this after all".
   
Oh, I was quite allright and let her know. I felt so well rested, or
the first time in years, and quite comfortable being back where I
belonged.
   
"Okay, then I'll leave you to it tonight. I'm always with you, but I
don't think you need your Mom hanging around you tonight. Oh, but I
did find a little someone to keep you company. I finally managed to
drag your old buddy Reefer away from chasing his little rabbit
friends. Cute guy. He so loves to chase them, but he never quite
seems to catch them".
   
Silly name for a dog, I know, but heck, when I got him as a teen it
seemed to fit him, and just looking at him wearing his old blue
bandana, you know that he knows he's the coolest dog around.
   
As she hugged me and turned to move away, down the street he bounded,
and up into the air he flew, crashing into me like he always used to.
Around and around we wrestled on the ground, and as usual, he got the
best of me. Well, at least  as he licked my face he seemed to have
lost that horrible "doggy breath" he always seemed to have so many
years ago.
 
We spent ourselves playing, as we always did, and after just laying
there twisted around each other, both panting for breath, it was time
to move along.
   
1223 Maple Avenue. I hadn't been here for years. When I moved to the
big city, I didn't leave the folks here in the best of ways, but
tonight the invitation was here, and not just for form, but a
heartfelt invitation. Seems after all the years and all the tears,
the folks here still love and miss me.
   
Yep, there it was, hanging in it's traditional place on the front
door. The crate paper skeleton my little sister made back in the
second grade. Even though we'd both grown, and there was no reason to
keep putting it up each year, you couldn't tell that to mom and dad.
   
Looks like I got there just in time for dinner. We all plopped around
the table, the big one that we only used for those special days when
the whole family got together. I never really understood growing up
why we always used this table, and always set out so many more places
than we really needed, for many places were always left empty, but
now I knew. The places were set so that everyone that was invited and
welcomed to our home would know they had a place to sit, a place to
fit in.
   
Dinner was as it always was on Halloween. Just small talk and warmth
and friendly smiles. And late as usual, which always drove me up the
wall as a kid, but kinda seemed right now. And Reefer, as he always
did, plopping right down on my feet under the table, and waiting
quite patiently for his share of the goodies.
   
Of course, being Halloween, after dinner we retired to the family
room, lit the candles, killed the house lights, and folks told all
the scary stories they could think of. Some I had heard before, some
were new to my ears. Little Timmy can certainly spin a good yarn. I
hope he keeps this gift and doesn't let the concerns of the adult
world dull it in him when he grows up.
   
I didn't say much, and I don't think they cared. They seemed to be
very happy just to have me there with them. I can tell you, that's a
really great feeling.
   
It grew late, and the time came to leave once more. Folks said their
farewells, both to each other, and to the ones that were no longer
with them. Yet another thing that I kinda thought silly growing up,
but I understood the meaning now. It's a wonderful feeling to know
that you're loved and remembered, no matter where you are.
   
I didn't want to leave, but of course I knew I had to. Just one of
those things.
   
On the way back out of town, I felt drawn to walk through old Bakers
Woods, my old late night stomping ground from when I still felt the
world around me, before business and the hassles of life blurred it
for me.
   
It was an easy walk. The moon was only half full, but this had always
been a magical place for me, and no matter the light, I could always
see as if it were bright. Never really could say for sure why that
was.
   
There in the "Witches Grove" in the center of the woods, I saw that my
old friends still felt the gift. A bonfire burned in the night, and
they were singing and dancing and playing a couple drums, just like
they always did. And of course, betty was buckass naked whle she
danced, even with the little chill in the air. I swear, we never
could keep clothes on that girl, but even after all these years, it
still doesn't seem a bad thing.
   
And Reefer was still his old hippie pagan doggy self. If you saw him,
you'd swear his tail wagged and his butt swayed in time with the
drums as he stood by my side.
   
I didn't have long, but I stood and watched them for a while from the
shadows. They looked so into it that i really didn't want to
interrupt, but a few people here and there seemed to sense me, and
gave a smile or a nod in my direction, just letting me know it was
still cool for me to be there.

That felt really nice.
   
I had to move on tho, because my part of the night was almost past.
off through the woods again, and out the other side.
   
Mom, as I somehow knew she would be, was waiting for me to come out.
   
"And how was your Halloween?' she asked.
   
"It was everything I could have wanted it to be" I told her. "It felt
good to be home again, and to know that my family and friends still
love me and want me to be with them when and as I can".
   
Mom took my hand and we walked off down the path, as reefer bounded
ahead into the sunlit field, in hot pursuit of his little rabbit
friends once more. I don't really think he'll ever catch one, but
then again, I don't think he really cares.