Page 42 - Life's Outtakes 8

Missing a Halloween Party

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As school was ending on Friday, Lenny stopped
by my locker to see me. “Do you want to join us for
some Halloween fun tomorrow?”
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
“We’re going to help some kids stay healthy,” he
replied, “and then we’re going to have a party at my
house.”
I didn’t know what he meant by helping kids stay
healthy, but I knew I couldn’t go. I had already
promised my parents that I would carry out our family
tradition.
My parents didn’t care much for Halloween.
Traditional trick-or-treating was out. My father was not
about to let his children roam around the neighborhood
begging for anything, especially candy. When I was
young, we children had felt left out of the fun of the
season. That was why my parents came up with a plan
on how we could celebrate the holiday in a way they
felt was appropriate.
My mother made lots of homemade divinity candy
and tons of cookies. Then we dressed in costumes, and

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