the boy behind the mask

Halloween.
One of the first things I think about on this day is a book which I have always had good intentions of reading...but never have. All Hallows' Eve by Charles Williams. I have a memory of the cover in my mind. A woman laying on her back on a table with her head hanging over the edge and facing the reader. I have always held the thinking that she is a virgin sacrificed to satan on the unholy sacred day...I never have read the book so I really don't know what the book is about. I just assumed that it was so from what I have long held Halloween to be about.

One of my very good memories from a bank filled with good ones is from a from years ago when I started taking Sam trick-or-treating. It didn't take Sam getting treats from more than one house before he began shouting in full sprint to the next one, "I LOVE HALLOWEEN!" And he would do this after every house for the next hour and a half. I can still hear it...that's because he still does it and did it tonight. Sure he's calmed down a bit and saves the comment for every fourth or fifth house, but that's because he's too busy saying stuff to homeowners like, "Thank you very much", and, "I love your pumpkins".

Today, in the middle of my joy of the season, I became momentarily sad. There was this masked man...o.k. a masked boy, really. He needed to get something off of his chest. I know this because he said it without any introductions...no usual fear as might usually be there if one were unhidden. Today, he said, I picked up the phone at three and there was a boy who asked if I was going trick-or-treating. I said yes, I was. Then he said that I hope you have fun worshipping satan. Long...astonished...but not entirely surprised...pause.
Homeschooler...probably never read the book...I said, awkwardly...hoping to comfort...for levity. We continued to go from well-lit door to welcoming smile...the dread of satan's touch always at our side.

Feet tired, we returned with our catch. Sort the loot and sigh... visions of jack o' lanterns still in our heads. Another good crop. The lord has seen fit to bless us once again.