October 31st. A day for tricks, treats and bags full of candy. A day for ghosts, witches and all the other bogey men we're supposed to be afraid of the rest of the year. An honest day, a day when most people admit they wish they were something else.
Even then, we will not always be what we wish we could be. Our choices will be limited by budgets and time. Some of us will have the choices made for us, and will be dressed up in whatever costumes our parents pick out for us...ballerinas, cute little bumblebees, pint-size vampires, doctors, lawyers. Some of us will dress in exactly the costume we wanted to and, rushing out to show our disguise off, will see someone else in a costume we like better. Some of us will simply not put in the time and effort to plan, organize and put together the perfect costume, so we will throw something together and hope no-one notices it's the same disguise as last year. But we will all openly try to be something other than we are every other day of the year.
I tried not to do it this year. All the adult parties were last night and, besides, I wasn't invited to any. Sharon was going to work tonight, so she wasn't going to play along. Plus, it's Sunday, and everyone knows Jesus hates Halloween, especially when it screws with his special day of the week.
So I went to church. I gardened a little. I messed with my goddamn creek, took a nap. But, who am I kidding? In a few hours, there would be little kids in adorable costumes knocking on my door. Did I really want to be that house, the one all the kids tell each other to avoid because there's no candy there this year?
Screw that. I made a quick trip to Ralph's and bought the good stuff--Whoppers, Reese's and Sour Patch Kids--then I reached into my closet, grabbed a western style shirt, a big cowboy belt buckle and the black Stetson I keep on standby. Not exactly what I would've chosen if I'd put a little time into it, but cowboy is better than douchebag with no candy any day of the year. Right now, I could do with being someone different.
I walk out in to the living room and Sharon says, "You were a Sheriff last year."
Why, yes I was.
"Well this year I'm just a ranch hand."
Different. Totally different.
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