Illusion of Words

Halloween

Twas my first Halloween ever. At least the first real experience of the American-ness of Halloween - particularly the Southern type. There was a church gathering thing out in the country side, where the flatness of West Tennessee was even more obvious than usual. Fields stretched out into trees on the horizon. Wooden barnhouses like those you see in Southern set movies scatter the landscape. We ate chilli - which, for your information, was barely chilli-ish, at least, it wasn’t really spicy. The pot branded ‘Hot’ was just mildly spicy, the one branded ‘mild’ was well, not at all spicy. The rest of the food was pretty typical American food - hot dogs and chips etc.

There was a nice bonfire, which everyone huddled around, because it got really cold. I roasted marshmallows for the first time! Tasted pretty good - crunchy on the outside, melty on the inside. Although the first time I tried to roast it the marshmallows caught fire, and I kind of threw it to the ground, so it was a waste. Of course some people like eating burnt marshmallows - but then I think of my brother and his aversion to burnt food, and I don’t like them too.

Then there was a hayride. Now I never heard of a hayride, and I supposed it was some sort of exciting ride on haystacks - but apparently it was just a tractor pulling a cartload of hay, which you sat on and bumped around the entire field. Not very exciting, and very cold, but the sky was covered with stars. To my shame I couldn’t find the Big Dipper, not even when people tried to point it out. The hayride over, I returned to the comfort of the fire and stared at it while half-burning my knees sitting close to it. Even then I could feel that my feet were numb.

After all this, on the return to campus, I went to the costume party. As expected, it was dark as night in there, except for lots of people walking around and talking loudly, and music. Great costumes. I doubt Halloween will ever succeed much back home - how many folks would dress up? Anyway there were all sorts of people, from a group of folks dressed as the Hundred-Acre Wood, to a table, pirates, ninjas, bananas, fairies, salt & pepper, fork, Pikachu and Ash (singing the theme song) etc. Interesting.

Besides all the new experiences, Halloween pretty much equals Candy. Lots of it. I’ve never eaten so much candy before. And now I have a bag of candy to accompany me for the next few weeks of my life..

Sunset in the countryside. I don’t know about you, but it sure looks pretty to me. Btw, the white streak in the sky was made by a plane. It’s not a wisp of cloud.

Ahhh the fiery redness of fall.

Many pots of chilli… for the competition.

The chilli competition. The little girl walking by wears a bag of small colored balloons - she was dressed as a bubble gum machine. There was another little girl dressed as a whoopee cushion…

Look at the stars.. look how they shine for you… (my neck hurts)

The mesmerizing flames. It just draws you in. I’m not a good photographer though - the color’s turn purple-ish…

The giant cat. Which I assure you is not a Halloween thing - it’s just a big cat that’s all. And oh, the girl has red eyes. Which can be a Halloween thing - of a type.

Posted in General, Church |