Got your Halloween on?
The question at our house has been, what costume should I get for Halloween? What will I be? A ghost, a zombie or Jimmy in the well? Jimmy is the kid who’d always fall in the well, and Lassie would find him when everyone else was looking in the barn. Problem is, it’s kind of hard to carry around a well with a rope and bucket, never mind finding a collie to walk behind and bark three times to alert the searchers. Life is just chockfull of difficult choices.
You might want to dress up as a professional you admire such as a nurse and drop into the local hospital and take some blood. Or a gastroenterologist, you know, the doc who does colonoscopies in dark and scary places. Jump into an astronaut’s suit and ask Elon Musk for a trip to the moon. There are all sorts of possibilities for tomorrow, Halloween.
But to tell you the truth, there’s not much going on in the Valley on Halloween day. Many school carnivals and community events took place last weekend or earlier. I understand the appeal for parents to support the safety and convenience of school carnivals, but I miss the kids trick or treating at the house. I asked a friend if he receives many trick or treaters on Halloween. Not any more, he says, but I still buy lots of candy, and it gets eaten. I enjoy Halloween candy, but my blood sugar is up so I need to reduce the intake of sweets in a big way. This is easier said than practiced. The allure of the moment too often wins, and they are just bite size. One wouldn’t hurt. But when did we ever eat just one?
I do get to go to the Calexico Pre-school tomorrow at Kennedy Gardens and trick or treat with the kids. One of my little friends was the Flash last year. He even gave a demonstration while I was reading a book to the children at recess. He jumped up from the group and ran around the playground in, well, a flash. He’s grown up this year and will be Mario of the famous, Mario Brothers.
How do we trick or treat at the pre-school? We do several trips through the principal’s office where the patient and accommodating secretary distributes candy to us each time. And then we walk around the pre-school playground, where the parents distribute more candy. I take up the rear and move the slower children along. I love these kids. The 3- to 4-year age group is quite special. The kids have distinct personalities, yet they are so dependent on adults to guide them and help them grow. That’s what the pre-school teachers and aids are expert at.
Halloween is not a gift-giving holiday, so I enjoyed Pastor Ron Griffen’s column, which was in this paper on Oct. 26. Each year he receives a box of Jack-O’-Lantern cookies. “They are a free gift, a gift of love.” And the box is addressed to Obi-Ron since the pastor once dressed up as Obi-Wan Kenobi for the church Halloween carnival. Please pass the cookies. I’ll eat just one.
There are events coming up on Saturday Nov. 3:
Calexico: Heffernan Memorial 5K Obstacle Run, 7 a.m., Crummett Park. It’s free.
El Centro, Walk to End Alzheimer’s, 9 a.m. till noon, Bucklin Park. Contact: (442) 265-7033.
El Centro, Food Truck Fiesta on Main, 6 to 10 p.m., Town Square, 679 W. Main St. Bands, arts & crafts, beer garden, Dia de los Muertos Truck Altar Contest. Contact: (760) 337-4555.