Wednesday, October 29, 2008


The Visitors

I am the happy owner of quite a few extravagantly dramatic witch hats. It’s a delight each year to choose which one to wear as I perform my witchy duties of greeting the bands of small goblins who visit my door in search of treats on Halloween night. I love to see the various reactions of the little trick or treaters when I open the door. Some stand back shyly as if distrustful of any procedure which requires human beings to dress is such an unusual manner...some charge forward in full gory glory, determined to scare the wits out of everyone they see, little thespians in the making, no doubt. The ones I love the most though, are those out participating in the revelry for the very first time. These are the ones holding their little orange buckets with chubby hands, trying not to trip over their pink princess dresses or looking rather lost inside their red and black Spiderman suits. I once had one of these wee ones take one look at me, smile sweetly and march right inside the house. Evidently I am not as scary as I think. Last year we had oodles of visitors, but one in particular stole my heart. A tiny sweet-faced little fellow, dressed most incongruously as a vampire, and followed closely by his dad, made his way tentatively up the walk. As I bent down and held out the big bowl of candy for him to choose his favorite, he stared at me in grave study, never saying a word. Many, many visitors and a few hours later, as things were winding down, I was standing out in the drive talking to neighbors, when I noticed this tiny vampire and his father approaching once again. His dad said, ....”I’m so sorry, but all he has wanted to do all night is come back here. He just keeps saying that he wants to go back and see the good witch”. Well, I ask you, just how many ways can one’s heart melt?? I bent down to talk to the little guy and it soon became apparent that he sort of wanted to stay for awhile. His father was explaining that it was time to go, and he was having none of it. Finally, I put on my most good-witchy voice and said, “I really must go I’m afraid.... It is time to feed my flying monkeys.” The little guy nodded knowingly and took his father’s hand while his dad gave me a grateful thumbs up.

Oh yes, I do love my Halloween visitors. And I so hope that little vampire returns on Friday night!

37 comments:

  1. Pamela, what a poignant meeting! I too hope he comes back again and has not grown up too much in the last year.

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  2. This post (as all the others do) made me smile. I wish I lived in your neighborhood, so I could sneak a peek at your hats every year.

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  3. Oops, back again, my downloads are slow, but I was not prepared to miss out on the picture, and I'm glad I returned.
    Do you have an old birch broom as a prop? They are quite easy to cunjure up.

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  4. What a delightful story!
    You are a good witch!

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  5. I’m sure the neighborhood kids must love your get up. From the looks of your blog, I bet your home is the best on Halloween. I’m not surprised your little vampire returned, and I’m quite sure he’ll come again. I’ve gone to many Halloween parties as a witch. What’s not to like about a witch’s hat, little black dress and stripy tights?

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  6. I do so miss living in a neighborhood and enjoying all the trick or treaters. Your "good witch" story is too cute!

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  7. Thanks for the biggest smile I have worn all day! No matter the disguise, he could still see you were a "good" witch. Love that!
    Lisa & Alfie

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  8. What a wonderful story! I too dress as a witch and try very hard not to scare the little ones. Their eyes get bery large but the candy treats are a good distraction.

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  9. Oh, lovely, lovely little love! I wonder if we will get any delightful visitors tomorrow here in my little English house.

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  10. Lovely post Pamela and a lovely story about that little visitor. I remember a similar one in the few years I lived alone - he came with his Mum -and his two brothers - he was all of 2 and was dressed in a sheet! I can still see his little face although he is a teenager now! I love Hallowe'en (particularly so as it is my birthday!) and always put a pumpkin light out in the evening - although the whole idea is only jut beginning to catch on here in UK

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  11. What a lovely tale of the little vampire. Kids really are the sweetest, aren't they. Well most of them! x

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  12. What a wonderful, heart-warming story - you have cheered me up and made me smile on this very cold and grey day here in the UK:)

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  13. A Good Witch & sweet little Vampire makes for the perfect Halloween story. Now that my children are grown, it's so much fun to see the little ones trick or treating for the first time (and their proud parents) :-)
    Thank you so much Pamela for your kind words remembering our Benny. We always dressed him up for Halloween too & I will miss that this year.
    Big hug for Edward from me.

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  14. You have just been awarded a Blogging Friends Forever award... Collect it and pass it on.

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  15. Awww so sweet. I bet if he grows up to become a writer you will appear as one of his childhood memories, or if a painter in one of his works. We all influence the young -we should tread lightly on their dreams and fancies.

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  16. So sweet,and what fun...flying monkeys:):):)

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  17. As ever a delight to visit your world........

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  18. what a lovely story, makes me want to buy an extravagently dramatic witch hat of my own...

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  19. Pamela, I do so love to visit and take my time to read your latest thinkings and musings. The House of Edward is a place of magical moments, and I thank you for sharing them with us.

    Our wee Edmund, on his first trick or treat escapade marched straight into the first house we came to! But of course, we had failed to explain to him what exactly we were up to. He was just going along with the older two! And hopefully Sweet William will be well enough tomorrow for his first Halloween on foot!

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  20. Please post of his return...This was such a sweet post..

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  21. Halloween is not something we celebrate here in Africa. But I did experience one Halloween during my stay in the US in '69-7. I dressed up as a fiercesome witch not a gorgeous one as you are (I am sure). What is Prince Ed's reaction to all the knocks at the door?

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  22. A fine story!

    We're lucky if we get a dozen trick-or-treaters. Most are in the scary 16-18 year old range and invariably dressed in a horrible mask and baggy everything else.

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  23. I have left you an award on my blog if you would like to accept it. I think you deserve it.

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  24. How cute!

    For the past few years I haven't had many trick or treaters. All the children in this neighborhood seem to have grown up along with my own children. But now we have some children on the block again, so I hope some come a knocking.

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  25. What a sweet sweet story. Oh, that little vampire... if he doesn't return this year, I hope there is another to take his place. I am sure you are an utter joy to all the trick or treaters in your neighborhood.

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  26. What a lovely story, and I too wish I lived closer and we could swap hats :) Not that I have many, but I could soon put that right!

    Kim x

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  27. The littlest ones are the sweetest, aren't they?I am fortunate enough to have a good many young children living on my street.

    By 8 pm the older kids, usually barely costumed, come by and I simply leave some treats on a tray outside, replenishing it till I run out.

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  28. You are now officially a Kreativ Blogger, visit A Brush with Art to pick it up and pass it on...

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  29. I love my witches hat but wasn't that enthused when my husband bought me a new broomstick!

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  30. That is such a sweet story. You obviously made a very favourable impression on that tiny vampire. I guess with you in your witch get-up, he recognized one of his own kind! (so to speak)....

    Lovely story. Do let us know if he comes back again!

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  31. I bet you look bewitching in your Witch outfit! Out of all my costumes that is one I have never been.

    Happy Halloween Pamela to you and Prince Edward.
    Have fun tonight.
    I think you are a good Witch!
    xox
    Constance

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  32. :-) How sweet. And nice to have a 'fan'.

    Hope you get many lovelies visiting you tonight.

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  33. That's an enduring story. Your posts bring smiles on all our faces. Kids are so cute around the holidays, aren't they.

    Enjoyed your blog. Thanks for letting us visit!

    Sparky ♥ ∞ (another southern Pamela with dogs) :o)

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  34. I loved this story! They don't seem to celebrate Halloween down here and I miss the tradition. Nor do they do the "Day of the Dead" here as they do in Mexico. It's really more of a Memorial Day for the country.

    Did your little vampire return this year?

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!