Halloween

This is Reformation Day. Oh, I guess it is also halloween. I never liked Halloween. Still don't. Not for any of the reasons that people say it should not be celebrated. Just didn't like the idea of dressing up in silly outfits and wandering around and begging for candy. It does not seem to make much sense to me. When I was a little girl, I was scared to death of Halloween.
My mother loved popcorn balls and the old lady up the street made the best ones in town. So, Mother would send me out with instructions to be sure and go to her house early so I would be sure to get a popcorn ball. She knew I didn't like them and would bring it home to her.
The only problem is that the little old lady, who I knew from church, scared me silly at Halloween. They lived in a big old 3 story house on top of a hill and they had lots of spooky trees around it. She always dressed up like a witch and had a cauldron and smoke and eerie noises and she said my name. I still shiver when I think about it. I would circle the block several times and watch others come and go. Finally, when I thought the popcorn balls might be getting short, I would screw up the courage to ring the bell. My blood turned cold as I waited for her to say, "Come in, Rosella. "
I would take that popcorn ball home and give it to my mother and go to my room and get a book and go to bed. Never did get much candy, I was too worried about getting that popcorn ball. I still don't like Halloween and I am not too crazy about popcorn balls!
By the way, she taught sunday school at our church and I loved her. I never understood why I could not get past that fear. I always passed her house on the way to school, and I would walk across the street so I would not have to walk so close to it.
I remember Mother taking me to her house when I was 7 or 8, her son was a sailor and he was killed in WW2. Perhaps I associated her house with death and sadness and I always paired Halloween and death.