Why I like Halloween so much

I cannot tell you exactly when I started liking Halloween, probably a little bit more than an adult should, but I know it has to do with my past.

You see, growing up on a small, Midwestern dairy farm has its advantages and disadvantages. One of those disadvantages was missing out on prime-time trick or treat time.

By the time we finished milking cows it was 7 p.m.; and by the time we showered and changed into our costumes we would pull into town around 8 or 8:30 p.m.

This left my sisters and I missing out on the prime all-too-important candy distribution time.

We would literally run from house to house trying to collect as much candy as we could before people started turning off their lights, which meant no more candy.

Sometimes we didn’t even make it trick or treating. My parents did the best they could and always gave us candy, made carmel apples or carved pumpkins with us, but it was just not the same as running from door to door and collecting as much candy as we could.

I recall one time when my brother’s girlfriend took me trick or treating with her son, who just so happened to be a boy in my same class who I did not like much. He was always picking on me and calling me names, but I noticed he did not do those things in front of my brother’s girlfriend and that was OK with me.

It was just the boy, me and my youngest sister that year. We were collecting as much candy as we could, when we got separated.

My sister and I found ourselves in front of a couple of bullies, who proceeded to take all of our candy and throw us on the dirt.

I remember the warm tears running down my face as I tried to get it back. Then, out of nowhere, came the boy from my class. He jumped on top of them and made them give us not only our candy and theirs as well. That was probably one of the only times I was ever glad to see that kid. It just goes to show, there is always a bully out there who is a bigger bully than the one you are facing.

Anyway, back to Halloween. I think it is the fact that I didn’t get to go trick or treating that much is part of why I like it so much, but I also think my love for dressing up as any character for the day or watching horror movies, which are my favorite, also play a big part.

So if you see me Friday. Yes. Friday, which is the day Green River businesses are open for trick or treaters, wearing a costume and acting more excited than my kids.

Don’t judge me, I am just happy to do something.