Halloween 2015

I grew up in a rural area in a tiny village and the general rule was that you only went trick or treating to people that you knew and they spent a long time trying to guess who you were and it was a real catch up with the non-relatives reunion. If your parent grew up in the area, these people would also give you insights to some things that your parent did when he/she was a kid. Couldn't say anything to your parent, but could at least know the rest of the story as your parent was scolding you for something that sounded much like something the neighbor shared with you.

Trick or treating only lasted til you were about 12 or so, and then you were old enough to go with the older kids. There were no store bought costumes, only old clothes that you got out of the "rag bag" (clothing that your mom was going to cut up for carpet rags which eventually made it to the kitchen floor as a rag rug.) I often remember the aqua blue strip of cloth that was a dress that I wore in second grade.

One year especially, I remember I was older than 12 and less than 17 (for at 18 it was expected that you no longer went out). We got dried corn that we took off the cob and threw it on the porches, and ivory soap which we would soap the windows. And the farmers whose houses were as much in on the prank as we were. They kept their mean dogs tied far away and their friendly dogs greeted us. If we looked like we were going to get out of hand, the farmer would suddenly appear from behind a tree and we'd have a nice chat about happenings, and maybe be invited in for a homemade cookie.