From the Memory File - Halloween 1994

 From the Memory File - Halloween 1994

Noel Laflin

10-26-24

I like this photo for several reasons.

First, front and center, are Krysten and her mom Brenda sporting the most perfect costumes.

Second, baby Nic (my niece) is right behind them, head barely showing. It was her first Halloween party.

Third, but not in this photo, is the memory of my brother and parents also having been there. It was the last time that both of my folks were able to attend the annual drunken affair - this particular one lasting way into All Saints Day morning, of course. I remember that mom was a gypsy, and looked great.

And lastly, it was one of the last major blowouts where major next day cleanup was called for and passed out guests were given coffee and minor sustenance before handing back their car keys.

The parties were somewhat subdued thereafter - well, until the next big Halloween party three years later, where my father donned his Army uniform, fifty years since any prior wearing, got tipsy and was the hit of the party, speaking bad French and thinking he was in a Paris bistro circa 1945.

He kept offering chocolates to every female that dared to sit on the couch close by and singing French ballads (poorly too). I hid the bowl of Hershey's Kisses eventually.

But, to everyone's credit, no one had the heart to tell him the war was over. However, everyone did compliment him on the fact that he still filled out the uniform pretty well.

And that was a mistake as he just rambled off more bad French and apologized for having the poor manners of not bringing any silk stockings to the bistro.