Sandy Supposes....

HALLOWEEN = FREEDOM

         PROMPT: What is your favourite memory of Halloween when you were young?

          I remember the freedom the most. It didn't matter what day of the week it was Halloween meant I'd be out, in the dark, with friends, trick-or-treating. Usually, we'd be stuck in our respective homes dealing with homework or bickering with our annoying siblings. This was a glorious excuse to toss aside the mundane in favour of roaming the streets. Good girls were supposed to stay with their families; safe and snug. Actually, it often felt more like smothering. Streets were described as scary, best-to-avoid places. Inexplicable "things" could happen.

         I never believed any of this; it seemed preposterous to me. The streets, the homes, and the people I saw every day were no different to me just because the sun went down. I liked seeing my small town painted in shadows; noise muted. Houses had a softer edge. Trees were looming sentinels. Twinkling stars and a luminous moon seemed magical.

         Walking, skipping, sometimes running, my pals and I reveled in our togetherness minus our parents. We were free to set our own course at our own pace. Nobody admonished us to slow down or watch out. No one shushed us or gave us the 'stink eye'. We were free to just be us.