Halloween stories

[fbhjr]

My mother’s mother and I did not get along. There were lots of reasons, but one of the ones was that I would question her about the things she’d tell me.

One of the things she told me when I was around 10 or so was that November first was the only day God let people into heaven. So, that’s why there were so many ghosts about October 31st as they were all getting in line to go.

“What time November 1st?” I asked.
“Midnight. Right at the start,” she told me.
“Midnight somewhere particular, or local midnight as it moves around the globe?”
“Just midnight.”
“Midnight in Rome where the Pope is? Midnight in Israel? Midnight at the international date line out in the Pacific?”
“Just midnight!”
“There are at least 24 different midnights!”
“When your clock says midnight!”
“God uses US Eastern Standard Time? I am surprised to hear that.”
“Oooo! Shut up and go away!”

Ever since then I have pictured ghosts walking around on Halloween checking their watches, or standing near where they can see public clocks so they don’t get the time wrong.


Of course, I was taught different traditions as well. That the opening between worlds was not on the Roman date of October 31st, but followed the moon which drifts back and forth some.
It does line up every so often, but only rarely.

There was a time back in the 90’s when I worked at the telecom company that they lined up.

I’ve always believed that the lunch lady that worked there was part of the secret Illuminati that ruled the world. For the 5 years I worked there, she knew everyone who would be laid off before anyone else. Even though we went through three companies providing lunches at the company, she always kept her job there, and she knew all the business deals that were going to happen.
I guess if you were going to secretly rule the world, working at the company that made the equipment for long distance calls might not be a bad place to set up.

That particular year for Halloween she dressed as a witch.
I commented on it as I went through the lunch line as she rarely participated in that sort of thing.
“I normally don’t,” she said. “But, this year…”
“Because this year it actually lines up with Samhain and normally doesn’t?”
She slammed her serving spoon down on the counter.
“IF I EVER HEAR THOSE WORDS COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH AGAIN, YOU’LL WISH THEY DIDN’T!” she said very quietly, but very intently.
“No offense was intended. I’ll leave food out at sunset myself.”
“Good! But, keep quiet about it.”

Both of those things are decades in the past now. But, I still think about them.
Tonight my wife and I are going to the movies, so never mind Halloween…

Comments

[threemeninaboat]

Oh she's great.