Halloween History! (Mine that is!)

    Well the big day is finally here!
    Throughout the day you'll be seeing
witches and monsters of all sorts!
And that's just for those of you who still
have to deal with bosses at work!
    Then, this evening, the "little monsters"
will be coming around to do their "Trick
or Treat" routine.
     My Halloween experience has changed
some through the years.
     The observance was always a very big
deal for my Mom. She used to throw a
Halloween party for me and all my friends.
It featured a lights out scary story around
our dining room table during which she
would describe a murder and dismembered
body, then pass around the body parts for
everyone to hold. Of course those "body
parts" were actually chicken livers, grapes,
and such! And just think...this was years
before Jason from the Friday the 13th series
was even born....let alone died! Mom never
even had a Hockey mask!
     We used to pretty much roam free in an
around our neighborhood when I was a kid
out for Halloween. And nobody had to check
our candy. In fact, as I recall, about half of it
was consumed before I got home.
     Maybe it's because there were fewer kids
Trick or Treating back then, or maybe the
economy was just better, but I seem to
remember a lot more people giving out money.
      Of course I'm talking about nickels, dimes,
and quarters. But a dime would buy a comic
book in those days.
       But you usually were required to recite a
poem or sing a little song to earn your treat.
"Trick or treat, smell my feet" would probably
get you tossed out empty handed back then!
      There was always a Halloween Party in
Grade School! I'll never forget those. I almost
always got sick on that orange soda or whatever
that drink was they served. Come to think of it
everything served was either orange or black!
      Of course back then the costumes were
usually pretty simple. Cover up in a white sheet
and you were a ghost. I often went around as a
cowboy and (hold onto your hats for this) I was
allowed to bring my 6-shooter cap gun to school!
      Little did I know they were respecting my 2nd
 Amendment rights!
     Cowboys (and girls), Baseball and Football
players, Ghosts, and an occasional Frankenstein
were the more common costumes then. We didn't
have any Zombies back in the day.
     This year Zombies are "In." I expect to see a
flock of them (or however one describes a group
of Zombies.)  Of course these Zombies are not of
the flesh eating variety. They tend to be drawn to
Hershey bars and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.
      I'll probably just stand there and hand them
out. On the other hand.....I love Reeses Peanut
Butter Cups!
      Hope you'll excuse me for a moment (and that
all you NEWS is ghoul.....I mean good!)