Boo Bash
October 29th, 1977
The steady hum of the motor kept Amanda focused on the task at hand. The next two days were going to be hectic and she had serious doubts she could accomplish everything. Times like these she wished Joe were home.
His new job with the EAO took him away for long stretches of time. Even out of the country. This time he’d been sent to the country of Estoccia in Africa and would be gone for six weeks. At least, he’d be home for Thanksgiving and, she hoped, for Christmas.
Amanda thanked her lucky stars for her mother. After Joe had gone away on his second assignment, she’d moved in to help with the house and taking care of the boys. At first Joe hadn’t liked the idea of a live-in mother-in-law, but Amanda persuaded him to see it her way. She’d used a little bit of sneaky persuasion, it’s wonderful what a man will agree to in the throes of passion. In the end, she hadn’t needed to resort to those tactics alone. Just one afternoon of him trying to relax after returning from a trip, had shown him the hectic lifestyle of a mom trying to clean house and run around after two small boys, both under the age of five. Since then, he hadn’t said a negative word about her mother living with them.
She lowered the foot onto the fabric, pressed down on the pedal, and guiding the material with her fingers, she stitched a seam on Phillip’s COSTUME. While sewing she glanced over the top of the machine to her youngest son sitting in front the TV. He lay on the carpet with his chin resting on his hands watching Saturday morning cartoons.
Jamie was her quiet child. He’d happily watch TV or play with his toys by himself. Rarely did he give her any trouble.
Phillip, on the other hand, was her wild child. Always getting into this or that. It amazed her how two children could be so different. She had to watch him like a hawk. Which is why her mother had taken him with her to the store. They were on a hunt to find a Jedi lightsaber. She prayed they’d find one, because she had no idea in the world how to make one from scratch. He had his heart set on being Luke Skywalker for Halloween. She didn’t want to disappoint him. He’d wear his own boots and she had an old belt she could fashion into a utility belt for him. The white tunic had already been made and the pants were the last part of his costume that she needed to finish.
Then she would concentrate on making Jamie’s. She’d found a pattern for the cutest tiger costume at the fabric store along with the perfect material. Luckily, she didn’t have to make one for herself. A couple of weeks ago, while at garage sale, she’d found the perfect one. Raggedy Ann.
Her stomach rumbled telling her that soon she would need to stop and fix lunch. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. So much to do, so little time. Sewing today. Baking tomorrow.
She wished Halloween could be like it had been when she was young. Memories of dressing up, going door to door and getting as much CANDY as possible made her smile. Those days were over. Poison and razor blades hidden in candy had been found in children’s trick-or-treat bags over the last few years. Those incidents had turned what used to be a fun time, into one of suspicion and fear.
The local recreation center announced at the beginning of the month that they would hold a Halloween Boo Bash. A safe place for the children of the neighborhood to trick-or-treat that would include candy, games, food and contests. Amanda and her mother had volunteered to help with the baking.
“We’re home.” Her mother entered carrying a bag of groceries. “I got everything on the list that we’ll need for tomorrow.”
At that moment Phillip came storming through the kitchen brandishing a lightsaber. “I’m going to get you Darth Vader.” He switched the saber on. It began to glow blue as he swished it back and forth through the air.
“Hold up there Luke.” Amanda placed her hand on her son’s arm. The way her son played with his toys she could see it being smashed to smithereens by him attacking anything that moved. “Let’s save this for Halloween. We don’t want it to get broken.”
Phillip stood still for a moment, his brow furrowed. “May the Force be with you.” He handed her the saber and went to join his brother watching TV.
“You’re not going to believe the trouble I had finding that toy. We went to three stores before we found it. Then I had to buy batteries, because it doesn’t come with them. He even wanted to bring it into the grocery store in case Darth came to attack us. I told him that Darth doesn’t go shopping, that his storm troopers buy whatever he needs. Of course, he still wanted to bring it. I finally told him that the store had an agreement with the Alliance to be protected from the Empire. I’m so glad I’ve seen that movie more than once. Of course, I only went again so I could watch that hero, Han Solo. He’s so cute and such a rascal. I love rascals.”
October 30th, 1977
What in the world had she been thinking when she decided to make Hairy Daddy Longlegs cupcakes? She cut another piece of BLACK licorice lace into four-inch pieces. Each one needed eight legs and she had fifty cupcakes to decorate. A muscle in her hand tightened and she gasped as the pain shot up her arm. She put down the scissors and flexed her fingers, cracking her knuckles. As the pain subsided she counted licorice cuttings. If she’d done her math correctly, she only needed to make two more sets of legs. She could do this. She’d already frosted the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing, covered them in chocolate sprinkles for the hair and put on the candy eyes.
“I’m back.” Her mother entered the kitchen. “Jan will bring Phillip home at four.”
“We’ll have to have Jan’s two boys over next weekend to give her a break. She’s so sweet to take Phillip for the afternoon giving us time to finish the baking.”
“Oh, you’re almost done with the SPIDER cupcakes. They’re so cute.”
Amanda put the legs on one and admired it. “Yeah, they really are.”
“Is Jamie still napping?”
“I’m hoping he’ll sleep for at least another hour.”
Her mother grabbed a bag of tortillas. “Did you see that list of what everyone is making?”
“I have it right here.” Amanda gestured to a piece of paper to her left.
“I swear some of those recipes sound complicated or at least hard to decorate. Those Sweet Scarecrows for example that Jennifer is making. She has to cut sugar wafers in half, use chocolate sprinkles to create a mouth, cereal for the hair and candy corn for the nose. I can’t believe she has the patience to do all that.”
“Rita called me earlier. She said the PUMPKIN Pie-sicles turned out perfect and they taste delicious.” Amanda placed some more legs on her cupcakes.
“I’m so happy. She was worried that they would taste weird. Who would’ve thought freezing after combining butternut squash, maple syrup, light cream and pumpkin spice into a mold would make a great frozen treat.” Her mother rummaged through a drawer. “Have you seen the BAT cookie cutter? It’s supposed to be right here.”
“It should be.”
“Oh wait, here it is. The GHOST cookie cutter was hiding it.”
While her mother cut out bat chips from tortillas to broil and salt, Amanda continued to look over the food list. The reason they’d been asked to announce what they were contributing had been so no one would duplicate an item. They wanted a wide variety of goodies for the children. The key word for the food had been SPOOKY.
One of the items on the list made Amanda curious. Charlotte had put down she would make Bug Juice, which consisted of frozen strawberries, lemonade, ginger ale, raisins and something she called worms. Amanda wondered how in the world she would make worms. She’d find out tomorrow.
“Will you watch to make sure this batch doesn’t burn? I’m going upstairs to check on Jamie.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Amanda rose to get the next tray of cupcakes. This batch would be one hundred times easier to finish. The only decoration on them would be ORANGE frosting with a piece of candy corn in the center.
October 3lst, 1977
Earlier in the afternoon, Amanda had driven to the recreation center to deliver the cupcakes and bat chips. The decorating committee had gone all out; paper ghosts billowed from the ceiling along with black and orange streamers. The walls were covered with cut outs of skeletons, scarecrows, pumpkins, bats, vampires, witches and black cats.
A table had been set up for pumpkin carving. Parents would help carve small pumpkins to take home with them. Another table held the makings to build your own scarecrow. Baskets held crumbled newspaper, material and different colored yarns to make the heads and hair. The children would draw the faces with magic markers. The bodies were pre-made and dressed, ready for the heads to be attached.
Another area had been set aside for ‘Ring-Around-A-Pumpkin.’ Instead of a ring, you tossed a hula-hoop to try and get it over a pumpkin.
A large black CAT hung on the wall to play ‘pin the tail on the cat.’ Plastic bones would be used in ‘Drop the Bone’ into a jug.
In one corner a ‘Bowling for Skulls’ lane had been set up. Regular sized plastic balls would be used instead of bowling balls to knock down as many plastic skulls as you could.
Instead of bobbing for apples in a bucket of water, which could wreck havoc with costumes and face paint, it had been decided to have kids attempt to take a bite out of apples hanging from strings.
They’d created a small HAUNTED house. Nothing too scary that might frighten the very young children and make them scream and run in panic.
One of the things that impressed Amanda, was that whatever game a child participated in, they would be given a prize in the form of a piece of candy into their trick-or-treat bag.
Amanda checked the time and saw that it was almost five. The Halloween Boo Bash would start at six. She had little over an hour to get herself and the boys ready. She would dress Jamie last; she didn’t want him ruining his tiger costume. When she’d tried it on him the other day, the first thing he’d attempted to do was pull the tail off. All he needed to complete his costume would be some black eyeliner drawn on his cheeks to simulate whiskers.
“Amanda, could you zip me please.” Her mother entered the bedroom.
She zipped her mother’s dress. “You look lovely.”
“Really? Can you tell who I’m supposed to be? She stood ramrod straight and crossed her arms.”
Amanda took in her mother’s attire. A wig of long black hair parted in the middle. A long black, fairly tight black dress. Black Onyx necklace and ring. “Since you don’t have a pointy hat or BROOM, that leaves out WITCH. The only person you could be is Morticia Addams.”
Her mother laughed. “Jameson came up with the Addams Family idea. This is my old witch’s dress. The one I bought several years ago for a costume party. I just hope he has a suit like Gomez’s. I hate to think my date will be Uncle Fester or Cousin Itt.” Her mother shuddered and ran her hands up and down her arms.
Amanda laughed as she pictured Jameson in a hairy outfit. “All he needs is a pin striped suit. If he doesn’t already have one, it shouldn’t be hard to find.”
“You look cute, too. Too bad Joe isn’t home, he could’ve been Raggedy Andy.”
Amanda padded over to the full-length mirror. The red-stripped stockings, blue calico dress, white pantaloons and pinafore apron were an almost exact replica of Raggedy Ann.
“I’m going to get the boys ready, while you finish your makeup.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Amanda sat down in front of her dresser. “Just make sure that Luke doesn’t destroy his lightsaber and that the tiger doesn’t pull off his tail.”
“Jamie’s so cute in his costume. So soft and cuddly. I just want to squeeze him. Oh by the way, I listened to the new weatherman, you know Doug, Don, Dan.” She waved her hands in the air. “Whatever his name is, on Channel 4, and he said there’s a 35 percent chance of RAIN tonight.”
“I’ll make sure to bring an umbrella.” Amanda put on the wig, which had been made out of red yarn, picked up her rouge and began to rub bright red circles on her cheeks.
*****
Several hours later Amanda toted bags filled with candy, pumpkins, scarecrows and a gift bag the organizers had given her and her mother for helping with the refreshments. The street had been dampened from a SOFT MIST that had fallen while they’d been inside. She looked up into the starry NIGHT sky and a full MOON greeted her. Not a cloud in sight.
As she stowed the bags in the back of the station wagon she opened the gift bag. Inside she found a large candy corn shaped CANDLE, along with a large bag of apple cider scented potpourri and a festive dish to display it in.
She hurried back to the recreation center; she’d left the boys playing one last game of Skull Bowling with Ana and her daughter.
Amanda climbed the steps to the entrance and, before she could open the door, a boy of about six dressed in a black cape came bounding out. He stopped in front of her, raised his arms holding the cape up and grinned displaying a set of VAMPIRE fangs. “I want to drink your blood.”
“Jimmy John!” A woman yelled as she exited the center. “You get back here right now.”
Jimmy John pulled his cape over his head and made a mad dash down the steps.
A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT as Vampire Jimmy tried to bite a little girl dressed as Cinderella.
“That little monster is going to be the death of me,” the boy’s mother said as she passed Amanda and chased after her son.
“Did you get everything put away?” Ana asked, as she herded the children in front of her out the door.
“Yes, thank you.”
“My pleasure. It was the least I could do, since you’d have done the same for me. I’ll call you in a few days.” Ana picked up her daughter and headed off to her car.
“Mama.” Jamie held his arms up to her. Whenever he did that it meant he wanted to be carried. Amanda lifted her son into her arms. He rested his head on her shoulder and yawned.
“No more roars?” For most of the evening he’d pretended to be a tiger, he’d scrunch his hands like claws and roar.
“Roar,” he yawned.
“Okay, let’s get you home to bed.”
Phillip and couple of other little boys also dressed up as Luke Skywalker were dueling with their lightsabers and attacking low tree branches.
“Come on Phillip, let’s go home.”
Suddenly, Phillip ran down the sidewalk, his saber held high in the air. “I’ll save you Princess,” he yelled.
Amanda noticed a woman walking in the direction he ran. She wore a long white robe-like dress with long flowing sleeves. Dark rolls of hair on each side of her head completed her costume.
Princess Leia.
A tall man clad in black jumpsuit, boots, cape, mask and helmet with his hand on the small of her back guided her along the walkway.
Darth Vader.
A sour feeling invaded Amanda’s stomach as Phillip charged up to Vader hitting him in the back with his saber. “Phillip! Stop!” she yelled.
She ran as best she could with Jamie in her arms towards the trio. Darth turned around, looked down at the boy, and Phillip head butted him in his midsection.
Just as she reached them she heard a loud sound come from the masked man. “Oomph.”
Amanda’s free hand covered her mouth. “Oh my gosh!”
Phillip flayed at Darth with his lightsaber again. The man put his hand on top of Phillip’s head to keep him at a distance.
“Stop that young man.” Amanda grabbed Phillip’s arm and pulled him away from his nemesis to stop him from attacking the poor man anymore. “Are you all right?” Amanda looked into the face of Darth; she couldn’t see his eyes, or any part of his face. All she could do was hope he wasn’t furious with them for interrupting his date or injured.
“I’m fine. The Force is powerful in this one.” His voice sounded deep and metallic.
“I’m so sorry. Please accept our apologies. Tell him you’re sorry?” Amanda tugged on Phillip’s arm.
Phillip looked down at the ground and scuffed his boot on the pavement. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
Darth placed both hands on his hips in “Your son is forgiven. This time.”
At that moment Jamie let out a loud, “Roar,” and tried to swipe his hand at Darth.
“They’re tired, please excuse us, I need to get them home.” Amanda turned to leave and she heard the woman say to the man, “let’s go to your place Darth Lee to make sure there’s no permanent damage.”
As she began to walk away, she heard the man laugh and say,“trust me there’s no damage and I’ll prove it as soon as we’re alone.”
The End
Links to the food I described in the story:
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-cakes-cupcakes/hairy-daddy-longlegs-cupcakes-685481/
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-snacks-treats/pumpkin-pie-sicles-689185/
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-snacks-treats/bat-chips-715209/
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-beverages/halloween-bug-juice-678127/
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/sweet-scarecrows-686957/
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.