NOTICE: Postings in this journal are intended for adults as they may contain adult situations and language.

Halloween is fast approaching and the thought brings back so many memories, both good and bad.

As a kid, we were very poor. Many times, Halloween was something "other" kids did because we didn't have the money for costumes or makeup of any kind.

Other times, costumes were made out of whatever was handy - an old sheet or an old hat, a stick and hobo makeup. We didn't have candy bags or buckets so we used pillowcases.

We were taught to respect our elders, obey all the rules of traffic and be home by a certain hour. God help us if we were late. Our candy was shared with everyone in the house.

I lived on the Arizona-Mexico border. It was not uncommon to see truckloads of kids from across the border come into our neighborhood for trick-or-treating. They didn't wear costumes and many were too old to go door-to-door but it didn't stop them. They scattered through the neighborhood and snatched up all the good candy before it was even dark.

It pissed me off then and it pisses me off now.

I pay fifty percent more rent so that my family can live in a decent neighborhood. My home is an older model and I live in a nice neighborhood. My home is no different than many of the older homes in the poorer sections of town, except that mine costs more to live in.

A few years ago, they built a housing project 2 blocks from my home. The residents pay little or no rent and yet they live in the better part of town. Each Halloween, their kids and every friend and cousin of their kids invade the neighborhood for candy and mischief. They wear $200 pairs of shoes while I wear a $10 pair from Wal-Mart. Why? Because I have to PAY RENT, and a lot more than I should.

They come to my home without costumes, their expensive shoes, their pants hanging down their collective asses in expectation of candy. I never see most of the kids until it's Halloween. Many of them are old enough to drive.

When the big storm hit, how many of these kids did you see go through the same neighborhood and volunteer to help, if for nothing else but some earned money? Not a fucking one. They don't need to. Their parents don't pay rent and yet they have the most expensive shoes, the nicest stereos and bikes. And the sad part is, this will be a "monkey-see, monkey-do" lifestyle. History must repeat itself.

My sons may never wear $200 pairs of shoes, but they will work hard and provide for their families so they can live in over-priced housing while others live there just because of who they are or aren't.




Be sure and look for my stories in the following anthologies:

THE HOLLER – The Fear Within – 3F Publications

THE FEAR – Femmes de la Brume – Double Dragon Publishing

CHICKEN – Scary! Holiday Tales to Make You Scream –
Double Dragon Publishing

All titles can be found and purchased at www.shocklines.com

www.elizabethpeake.com