When I was growing up, Halloween was always a fun time for me. Running from house to house with the neighborhood kids, seeing who had the best candy that year and trying to figure out how we could go back twice to get more are some of my favorite memories. I had so much fun running home to empty the filled pillowcases on the floor and running back out to get more candy. One house around our neighborhood handed out one dollar bills-- that was a big deal back in the day.
What I remember most is the spooky house in the neighborhood. An elderly woman lived there and the stories about her made us too afraid to knock on her door during trick-or-treat. Every year, one of us was dared to go and knock on her door to see if she was giving out candy (mind you her porch light was on and she always gave out candy). When it was my turn to knock on her door I was scared, but I didn’t want anyone to know so off I went. I knocked on the door and when the squeaky door opened there stood a five foot tall, round lady with long white hair. She spoke broken English. She could scare any child to death. She asked if I was the one that was sent to knock on her door that Halloween. I told her I was and she invited me inside. I remember the neighborhood kids telling me to not go inside, but I did. When she shut the door, she had a big bowl of candy for me and the other neighborhood kids. With this being said, it was the best Halloween. Why is that? Well, in addition to the candy, I made a new friend. Her name was Mrs. Brozak.
Mrs. Brozak, the little elderly lady from the Old Country as she would say, told me that she came to America on a boat. She lived on my same street for years, but I was too afraid to meet her because of what the neighborhood kids told me. Mrs. Brozak taught me a lot while I was growing up. I learned how to treat my elders, how to love animals big and small, the best way to show God we believe in Him and how to make the world a better place for others. God rest her soul. I know she made it to heaven. My parents also instilled all these values and so much more in me. Thank you, Mum and Dad!
Halloween is the fun holiday that I will always love. I hope all the trick-or-treaters enjoy this fun time!
;)
