Trick Or Treat

The big night arrives, and so do the oddball guests, living, and otherwise

All of the lights were on downstairs, and the porch was decorated with ghostly sheets, cardboard decorations, black and orange streamers, black and orange balloons bobbing in the wind., and Brenda had a boy child mannequin dressed like "Waters" Blundon, Mr. Blundon's son who died in the train accident of 1895. 

She never officially named the mannequin because he was missing an arm, and had hoped to replace it one day. He wore a white shirt, a tweed open vest, rolled up trousers with socks, and high top shoes. He held a candy bowl on his lap full of Mary Jane peanut filled candies. His eyes were glass, and he smiled. The plaster hair was formed in "waves, and swirls" with a slight pompadour.

The guests were busy playing with an Ouija board, drinking punch, tending the fire in the fireplace. Daniel snapped photographs, and handed out candy to the children. The other guests took turns doing that. Whoever was closest to the front, or back door would be elected to treat the local kiddies, and the adults who chaperoned them. 

The front porch had a plate full of small orange marshmallow pumpkins, and globe candles. The usual candy corn, and caramel apples were reserved for anyone who came to the back door. Many of the children went to both. There were ballerinas, cowboys, skeletons, fairy princesses, policemen, pirates, ghosts. The usual 1950   kiddie costume fare. Mr. Griffin arrived with his 3 friends from Britain. 

Cormag Brae was dressed like Father Time in a long white robe. Edwin Soames was wearing a Civil War Uniform representing the North, and Duncan Feeney was wearing traditional Scottish attire with nothing under his kilt he later revealed in a modest verbal fashion. Brenda announced that smoking was only allowed on the porch because several of the guests had allergies to smoke. Cormag Brae smoked a rather fancy pipe next to "Waters" the mannequin shortly after 9 PM when all of the Tricksters and Treaters had stopped coming.

Brenda turned off the front porch light, but left the back light on. The guests retreated to the living room, and introduced themselves formally one at a time. The 4 free masons were seated together on the far side of the room, and told short stories about ghosts, and how they liked the American people. 

Mr. Griffin showed off his Scottish Pirate outfit, and mentioned the trip planned to Washington the next day to the Masonic Lodge. The Masons were well respected in Riverdale Park, and Hyattsville. 

Brenda felt comfortable enough to escort all of them to the attic. There had been 3 small bedrooms situated in the top floor at one time, but it was now remodeled  into one big open room. She announced that she was a Spiritualist, and would be having seances from time to time, and if anyone wished to attend, they would be welcomed to do so. She didn't want to go into great detail because there were several "Very Christian" people present, and felt that it would be better to explain things in private, since there were many misconceptions about Spiritualism.

Duncan said that his mother was a seer, and that as a Mason, he had a great respect for the positive occult.  Pauleen Kirby the "coffee maven" was eager to learn more. Harriet Wilson might be a hard sell, but Brenda was determined to contact the Blundons, yet didn't  feel it necessary to mention that fact to the group. As a spiritualist, Brenda knew that the departed were entitled to respect, and privacy. Things she learned from her mother did not come from a book, and she was learning more each day on her own.

Mr. Griffin talked like a Scottish pirate on his way down the two staircases, and hoped that Mannequin "Master Waters" hadn't been abducted. Daniel took several group photographs, and appeared in one himself when Brenda manned the camera. Mr. Griffin took a photograph of Brenda, and Daniel together with his own camera. Little did they know that their photograph would appear in the society section of the Washington Post, along with a group shot taken by Cormag Brae.

It was a very good Halloween Party, all in all.

C J Marks