As a child, I always loved Halloween. As an adult, I can't think about my childhood Halloween without thinking about my former neighbor, Mrs. Locker. Every year, she baked all kinds of delicious goodies for Halloween, then invited each trick-or-treater who rang her doorbell into her home where she displayed her homemade treats on her dining room table. She would take a napkin and unfold the quarters until she had a big square. Then she'd have each child choose a cupcake with chocolate or orange frosting (I always chose orange.) and place it onto the napkin. She'd select a couple of cookies, a piece of fudge and a penny and place them next to the cupcake. Finally, she'd gather the four corners of the napkin and bring them together, securing them with a straight pin, then send the little ghosts and goblins on their way.
Mrs. Locker was legendary. People would come from miles around to trick or treat at her house. Parents would drive to her house from other neighborhoods just so their kids could trick or treat at her house. If I remember correctly, a week or so before Halloween, Mrs. Locker would always remind us to come to her house early, before she ran out of treats. I also remember that she would count the number of trick or treaters she had using tally marks, then give us a final count in early November. It's mindboggling to think of how many dozens of cupcakes, cookies and batches of fudge she lovingly baked for Halloween over the years.
Rest in Peace, Mrs. Locker.
No comments:
Post a Comment