I’m sitting here at the radiation clinic waiting for my mother in law to get her treatments. It was an adventure getting here, because after a summer full of triple digit days, it finally cooled down. Except it has been pouring down rain for the past two days.
Now, I don’t mind rain, I know we need it. But tomorrow is Halloween and the forecast is uncertain just how much rain will be getting tomorrow night, or if Halloween will be rained out completely.
I’ll be honest, Halloween is usually my favorite time of year. I go all out in decorating outside, and wear fun costumes to hand out candy and other festive things. This year, between the economy being in the toilet, my mother in law being sick and the intense heat, it just hasn’t felt very spooky.
Even some of my favorite comfort Halloween movies have seemed unappealing this year. Maybe its because I’m getting up there in age, this stuff just doesn’t do it for me anymore. But I’ve talked to younger friends who have felt the same way. That halloween just isn’t the same this year.
I noticed less houses around our block decorated and usually not as thouroughly. For anyone reading this in the year 2026 or roundabout that time, this will all make complete sense how crazy everything is. Midterm elections are on Tuesday, November 3. The world feels like it is crumbling and costs are at an all time high.
But looking at the rain, part of me wonders if I don’t want it to rain tomorrow after all. Not really, I enjoy handing out candy. Plus I bought a fancy new top hat I want to wear and show off. Seeing this rain today reminds me of Halloween in Indiana when my daughter was little.
Back then, in the early 2000’s I was still married to my ex wife and my daughter was very little. We’d get her an elaborate costume, only by Halloween night to have to bundle her up in a coat and hat because it was both cold and raining. I’d drive her around in the car and watch her run to door steps and ring doorbells. She still got good candy hauls, but just not as fun as when she can walk around and show her costume.
Now, the kids are all grown up and we just hand out candy to see the neighborkids and their costumes. Plus its fun having a spooky night to sit outside in a top hat.
I shouldn’t complain about the rain, its been dry and dead here all summer. It would just be nice if the rain would pacec itself. Usually in Texas we go months without rain, and then get nothing but rain for weeks; resulting in flooding and all other sorts of chaos in different areas.
One of my favorite Halloweens was the year of the clown scare in 2016 when step son and I still dressed like clowns and then hung around our yard scaring people in our clown get up. A local news reporter was going to hang out with us and do a story on the whole clown thing. (Google 2016 clown panic if you’re not familiar) but then had to do a real story on something.
It didn’t stop us though. There was another year, I wore a Guy Fawkes mask and hoodie and stood in the yard with a fake machete totally still like I was a statue. When people got too close, I would jump at them, scaring the shit out of them. It was fun night and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
Every year if it wasn’t rained out, I tried to make Halloween something special. Though in recent years, its been much more low key. I’m getting older and just don’t have the energy to go all out with costumes and setups like I used to. Plus kids around here are getting older.
There are less kids out every Trick or Treat now, and mostly pickup trucks full of kids pull up and they all pile out for candy then hop in and speed off. We call these folks “candy raiders.” as they are obviously not out for the experience.
At our home, everyone gets candy. Even adults trick or treating, though I find it weird to see grown ups with no costume or kids walking around trick or treating. I used to dress up when I took the kids out, but I didn’t go to the door nor did I expect candy. I mean I’ve never been so hard up for candy I wouldn’t just go out and buy it if I really wanted some.
I don’t say anything to these folks. Usually I just give them their candy and off they go. Though this year we have some canned goods way may hand out to the adult trick or treaters. I’m even fine with teenagers going out.
Teens are different, because they are tryign to figure out their place. On Halloween they could be out doing pranks or getting into trouble. So if they choose to trick or treat intsead, then I would like to reward them.
Of course, all that is if it stops raining by then. I’m sitting in a chair in the hallway to the radiation center and I can see it pouring in the street and people running in trying to stay as dry as possible. Some walk by and see me on my laptop and look at me weird. Today I’m wearing my Baker boy flat cap, because its wool, has a bill and doesn’t have a set shape like my porkpie hat, so I don’t mind wearing this in the rain.
Many times when I sit here working, people will come up and ask me which offices are what or if I know various people. I just assume with my hat and my laptop people think I’m official or something. I usually have no idea, and can’t help them and then I feel bad.
In addition to October 30, today is friday, so I can chill tomorrow before Halloween night and feel things out. Maybe I’ll sneak some candy before then. That of course is all depending on the rain.
Leave a Reply