Well, Halloween 2011 has come, and gone. Seems like it was over before it got here. Being on a Monday didn't help.
Every Halloween, I take Master Gregory trick-or-treating. We take the same route every time, up and down a well-populated street in a well-to-do, historic district, on Aurora's west side. We've come to know all of the houses, who gives out candy to trick-or-tr eaters, who goes to town with their decorations, where our dedicated, and casual, fans live, and which houses to avoid.
This year, Halloween night was a disappointment, overall. I'd say that only half of the homes that normally participate did so this year. Again, we're talking about people who are well off. Not only that, but, some of the key houses that we always look forward to visiting (because of their dedication to decorating their front porches, and yards, etc., and/or their appreciation of what we do on television) didn't decorate, and, had their lights out... except for the back 2/3 of their houses, or their upstairs. These people were home, but, for whatever reason, chose not to observe the holiday in the manner that usually do, and refrained from participating in handing out candy. A few put some carved jack-o-lanterns on their porches, but, otherwise, pretended not to be home. I drive up, and down, this street several times a week, and the most glaring instances of absentee participation were not due to the former residents moving away.
Greggy really looks forward to trick-or-treating, as, obviously, do so many other kids, both here, and all over the country. So do I. It was sad to see the look of disappointment on the children's faces. Sure, the youngest of them didn't know any better. However, if they were older than, say, 7 years old, they were hip to the fact that this year's trick-or-treating was not up to par. Greggy collected about 45% as much candy as he usually does. Unlike most kids, he doesn't like chocolate (or cake, or ice cream). Unfortunately for him, about 55% of his "haul" was of the chocolate variety.
We've enjoyed some great Halloweens for the last 6 years. It was 78 degrees on Halloween night, just a few years ago. That was awesome! Also, the fact that Halloween fell on a weekend these past 3 years helped immensely in the trick-or-treating department. While I may have frowned on the idea in the past, after this experience, I'm now all for the notion of making trick-or-treat night the last Saturday of the month. Let's make it so. These kids deserve to know a slice of what Halloween once was.
Another thing thing that made this Halloween odd was an unusual phenomenon. On Halloween night, as we make the rounds, we can always tell who has cable, and who has satellite. We're not seen on satellite television. If they have satellite, they'll tell me, "Great costume! Wow! You can tell that was custom made!" I'll respond with, "Why, thank you," and move along to the next house. Usually, the people after us will say to them something like, "Don't you watch TV? That wasn't a costume that was The Bone Jangler!" While it's nice to be recognized, I don't take offense in those situations. The night's all about Master Gregory wearing a costume, getting some candy, and having fun. But, this year, we ran into about 4 different people who, as we approached their door, would shout, "BONE JANGLER!" I'd say, "Yes, I am. Thank you. Happy Halloween!" Then, they'd say something like, "Ah, but, not the 'real' Bone Jangler," as if I were some imitator sadly trying to be taken seriously as this "Bone Jangler" television personality. "Great costume." "Truly an incredible likeness." These were the things that were said to me on these 4 occurences, while Greggy looked on, further disappointed by the way the night was turning out. One guy in particular simply (and rudely) refused to believe that the "real" Bone Jangler would be out trick-or-treating amongst the "regular" folks. Finally, after I showed him a few pix on my cell phone, taken during tapings, with Enchantress Nocturna by my side, HARMony and Penny Layne too, with mic cables strewn about the floor, an embarassed look came across his face. His wife gave him a dirty look, for giving me a world of grief for being such a liar.
Just the other day, a new Facebook friend, a wonderful, and charming, person, commented on my status, asking if that was really me who stopped by, and shared a beer with her inside her beautiful, and scary, home. I told her something, "Funny you should say that... "
So, in summary, Halloween 2011 was, for Greggy & I, and so many others, a disappointment. Still fun, but, nowhere near as fun as it has been. Again, let's pass some kind of legislation making the last Saturday of the month tick-or-treat night. No school in the morning, no worries. And, if I come knocking at your door on Halloween, you should know if it's me or not. If it walks like The Bone Jangler, talks The Bone Jangler, and has the kick-ass threads like The Bone Jangler, then, it's me!
- The Bone Jangler
http://www.TheBoneJangler.com
