| Letters and Diary Non-Fiction posted October 30, 2016 |
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Prose Potlatch Challenge-10/30
Lollygagging in Alhambra
by michaelcahill
“What’s the plan for Halloween tonight, honey?” Joey Snodgrass scooped up a huge forkful of meatloaf, shoveled it in and sloshed it down with a dribbling gulp of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
Mary clicked over to him in her high heels and smiled. “I was thinking we’d give the kids a big paper shopping bag and send them out in to the night to beg for candy.”
“Yes! Great idea. Hear that kids? Get your costumes on, grab your bags and hit the streets. And yes, little Billy is going too. I know he’s three and a big pain, but it’s his first Halloween. Get home when you get home. Save me some popcorn balls this time. We’ll be asleep so don’t wake us.”
Ahhh yes, those were the good old days. The days when us kids were safe and without worry when we went out to claim our wealth in candy and the occasional two-dollar bill. It sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it? In truth, it would be in this day and age.
I had the misfortune of having an over-protective insane mother. So, it wasn’t until I was six-years old I was allowed to venture forth alone. Yep, she took me ‘trick or treating’ those oppressive early years. Humiliating to say the least. Of course, with her bright red wig, outside the lines cherry red lipstick and thick pancake make-up, it was the one day of the year when she looked sane.
My costume of choice was a cowboy. To be specific, Wyatt Earp. Wyatt Earp was and is to this day one of my role models. I employ his methods of crowd control and handling a superior force instinctually anymore. When faced with superior numbers, confront the leader, and he will make the others back down. That’s the theory and it works. Nice tangent, yes?
Alhambra wasn’t exactly a small town, but it was small enough to know most every street and recognize the majority of the people encountered. We knew where the best treats were and we also knew that across Huntington Drive was San Marino where the rich folk lived. When we were older, ten, eleven and into our teens, we headed there.
Halloween was huge when I was in high school. We went as couples and engaged in lollygagging. That is what our parents called it. I never could get a specific definition out of them as to what exactly constituted lollygagging, but I knew it referred to pleasurable things, so I was happy to be lucky enough to engage in it on a regular basis. I lollygag to this very day, or at least I think I do. I can’t be sure.
We went out on Halloween night well into our teens, and that was the norm back then. At some point, teens became way too old to go trick or treating in people's minds. I imagine trust issues and a wary older eye came into play as the world became more dangerous. I’m looking back on a time when doors were never locked and kids were never in danger. We roamed the streets unsupervised daily back then. On Halloween, we roamed the streets in the dead of night, into the wee hours, unsupervised, left to our own mischief and lollygagging. It was wonderful.
Somehow, I ended up with Linda Lee one year. She was a treat. I have no doubt such things don’t happen anymore. People go places now, parties, events, organized things with supervision and safety above all else as a concern. Children are taken trick or treating. There are lists of what to look for within the treat bag to avoid poisoning. Parents and guardians are vigilant to ensure their children are not abducted by real life ghouls.
Lollygagging it seems has become old fashioned.
“What’s the plan for Halloween tonight, honey?” Joey Snodgrass scooped up a huge forkful of meatloaf, shoveled it in and sloshed it down with a dribbling gulp of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
Mary clicked over to him in her high heels and smiled. “I was thinking we’d give the kids a big paper shopping bag and send them out in to the night to beg for candy.”
“Yes! Great idea. Hear that kids? Get your costumes on, grab your bags and hit the streets. And yes, little Billy is going too. I know he’s three and a big pain, but it’s his first Halloween. Get home when you get home. Save me some popcorn balls this time. We’ll be asleep so don’t wake us.”
Ahhh yes, those were the good old days. The days when us kids were safe and without worry when we went out to claim our wealth in candy and the occasional two-dollar bill. It sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it? In truth, it would be in this day and age.
I had the misfortune of having an over-protective insane mother. So, it wasn’t until I was six-years old I was allowed to venture forth alone. Yep, she took me ‘trick or treating’ those oppressive early years. Humiliating to say the least. Of course, with her bright red wig, outside the lines cherry red lipstick and thick pancake make-up, it was the one day of the year when she looked sane.
My costume of choice was a cowboy. To be specific, Wyatt Earp. Wyatt Earp was and is to this day one of my role models. I employ his methods of crowd control and handling a superior force instinctually anymore. When faced with superior numbers, confront the leader, and he will make the others back down. That’s the theory and it works. Nice tangent, yes?
Alhambra wasn’t exactly a small town, but it was small enough to know most every street and recognize the majority of the people encountered. We knew where the best treats were and we also knew that across Huntington Drive was San Marino where the rich folk lived. When we were older, ten, eleven and into our teens, we headed there.
Halloween was huge when I was in high school. We went as couples and engaged in lollygagging. That is what our parents called it. I never could get a specific definition out of them as to what exactly constituted lollygagging, but I knew it referred to pleasurable things, so I was happy to be lucky enough to engage in it on a regular basis. I lollygag to this very day, or at least I think I do. I can’t be sure.
We went out on Halloween night well into our teens, and that was the norm back then. At some point, teens became way too old to go trick or treating in people's minds. I imagine trust issues and a wary older eye came into play as the world became more dangerous. I’m looking back on a time when doors were never locked and kids were never in danger. We roamed the streets unsupervised daily back then. On Halloween, we roamed the streets in the dead of night, into the wee hours, unsupervised, left to our own mischief and lollygagging. It was wonderful.
Somehow, I ended up with Linda Lee one year. She was a treat. I have no doubt such things don’t happen anymore. People go places now, parties, events, organized things with supervision and safety above all else as a concern. Children are taken trick or treating. There are lists of what to look for within the treat bag to avoid poisoning. Parents and guardians are vigilant to ensure their children are not abducted by real life ghouls.
Lollygagging it seems has become old fashioned.
 Recognized |
Write a memoir about your experiences growing up with Halloween. If you didn't participate, what did you observe? Funny, tender, horrific, your choice.
I think people will be especially interested in local and regional customs. Halloween is celebrated in some form virtually the world over. Remember some of the things we've practiced over the last few months as you write, POV, location, descriptions etc. Bring them all to bear on your piece. Take us in to your experience back in the day. We want to see what it was like in your neck of the woods. :))
Personalize it, or talk about "Cousin Joe or Mary" if you don't wish to reveal too much.
As always, if you have a great idea for a piece on Halloween or any other topic that doesn't quite match the prompt, by all means GO FOR IT. No rules here, just suggestions and ideas. The main thing is to write and review. LOL
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