Halloween memories are just fun glimpses of time, aren't they?
Allow me to just take a pause and reminisce about the years that have gone by, seemingly at an alarming rate of speed.
It's October 31, meaning that Halloween has arrived for another year.
I'm 9 years old.
I'm a young kid growing up in good old Conquest.
The weather is fair at the beginning of the day, with bright grey skies and the odd glimmer of sunshine here and there. One of those "This could change at any given moment" days from a weather perspective. I walk to school in my costume, which escapes me at the moment because it was so long ago. What I do know is that parents are invited to the school in the afternoon so that we can parade our costumes around for them in the gym.
The day lets out, and sure enough, that unknowable weather from earlier in the day just revealed itself to be a late autumn snowfall, the first one of the year. I walk home and necessary adjustments are made to my costume because of the snow's presence. Essentially, my winter jacket goes on to hide about 50% of my costume, but of course, local residents will just laugh it off and obviously understand. We know where we live here in small town Saskatchewan, where the weather can pop up and force anyone to readjust things on their schedule.
I trick or treat with friends, and once the village of Conquest is done, my parents load up my brothers and I in the family van and take us to neighboring farms, where we receive things like Wagon Wheels, big bags of potato chips, and even cases of Crush pop. Score!
It's October 31, meaning that Halloween has arrived for another year.
I'm 12 years old.
I'm a pre-teen growing up in good old Conquest.
This year, the weather is much better because there are actually some blue skies and sunshine. That doesn't seem to matter after the sun goes down though, as the temperature has dropped a few degrees and it makes coats once again necessary.
I meet up with the guys after getting home from school and we head out all over town. It isn't too long before our bags start to get heavy, and when we're satisfied, we head over to Rick's at the east end of town. The Simpsons is on TV, and it's a new episode where Homer believes that he's seen an alien late at night in the woods of Springfield. They timed that pretty well to air on Halloween night.
The best part of this particular year? Halloween has fallen on Friday night, so it's relaxation time with movies and bite-sized Snickers and Coffee Crisps to enjoy. School has to wait until Monday.
It's October 31, meaning that Halloween has arrived for another year.
I'm 18 years old.
I'm a teenager, or technically a young man, growing up in good old Conquest.
I'm in the last year of high school over in Outlook, and I've been out of the trick-or-treating game for a few years by this point. Once again, this particular Halloween has fallen on a Friday again, and this time I'm headed out.
Not to knock on doors expecting chocolate bars and potato chips, though. No, this time I'm hopping in my trusty '79 Chevy, affectionately known as Brown Betty, and I'm cruising over to Outlook to meet up with the guys at Mitch's place. From there, we're heading to the theater because a particular movie is playing that can only be more appreciated given the day on the current calendar - the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Yep, while mounds of local kids will be foot-patrolling neighborhoods in search of that sweet, sweet sugar, my buddies and I are watching sexy young 20-somethings get offed by a psychopath in rural Texas.
When the movie's over, we head back over to Mitch's place for burgers on his George Foreman grill before sitting down to watch the Scream Network. Remember that channel that was offered to satellite customers? Well, apparently there's a Friday the 13th marathon on tonight, so Kyle and I stay up with Mitch and enjoy some more brainless horror debauchery. Man, no one told me Halloween could be this enjoyable when you grow out of those costumed years.
It's October 31, meaning that Halloween has arrived for another year.
I'm 37 years old.
I'm a grown man now living his life in the neighboring town of Outlook.
Things have changed in my life quite a bit from those previous Halloweens. The biggest being that my brother and I just moved here to town at the beginning of last month, having finally gotten a place that we really enjoy. The commutes are shorter to work, we're surrounded by businesses and services that are much closer, and we've quickly adapted to now being fellow 'Outlookers'. Sure, I went to school here and I've been working in this town for over 15 years, but I'm discovering the very real difference that exists between being a worker in town and being a resident of town.
In the late afternoon, I hop in my SUV and cruise over to AG Foods, where the store is doing their annual Candy Drop. This event always draws a big crowd and this year is no exception, with all kinds of costumed kiddies milling about and trying to find the best spot to stand and parents visiting with each other away from 'the horde'. Soon enough, here comes that candy from the roof of the store and it's a flurry of activity, with all the kids reaching here, there and everywhere to grab that precious candy. I shoot photo after photo, capturing the sugar-fueled insanity.
I go home, upload my photos, and scan the cable guide on TV. Oh, there's another Friday the 13th marathon. Ah, I've seen all of those multiple times over since I was a kid. Guess I'll see what's streaming online instead.
It doesn't seem to matter what age you are because Halloween is capable of producing all kinds of memories. It just depends on where you're at in life.
Halloween, at the end of the day, is still enjoyable. It doesn't matter if you're the kid accepting the candy or the adult handing it out. Enjoy it, everyone.
For this week, that's been the Ruttle Report.
