It is a week before Halloween and Varenna is buzzing with anticipation. The Halloween fever catches my three friends, Joyce, June, and Shirley, who decide to go costume shopping. They don’t ask me to go with them and I feel a slight tinge of jealousy. On the other hand, I know they know I am a no-Halloweener.
I wake up one night and begin thinking. What could I find in my closet without going shopping? Black. I don’t like black, but black is the answer. My Antarctica rain pants are black. I wonder if I still have my black boots I used for playing Santa, and my long black gloves. I know I can use the black ski mask and my dark glasses. I can reverse my black Australian t-shirt, and my orange blouse will do to cover my arms. I find the boots, try the ski mask and think it might work.
Two days before the big event, Shirley comes and says, “You know, we feel bad, we want you to be part of the fun. Joyce has a wig she is not going to use.”
I am touched and decide to somewhat confide in Shirley. “I have something in mind, but I have to do it my own way,” I say.
“I’ll recognize you,” Shirley says, and my answer is, “No, you won’t.”
The day of the Halloween party has arrived. In the morning, I go and see Jane, tell her about my idea of dressing up in black and we have this glorious idea of my changing at her place. At dinner I am vague and ask if I could pick up Joyce’s wig “just in case,” telling them, if at all, I would arrive late.
I pack my bag; take my stick, sneak through the back along the bocce ball court to Jane’s. There is worry in the air. Spanky, her dog, had taken advantage of an open door. Jane hopes he did not run over to her daughter’s, as he has been a guest there off and on.
I get dressed and Jane sees my orange blouse. “This won’t do, I have a black jacket.” I try it on, dressed now in black from head to toe.
“A Muslim,” Jane says. “Now remember,” she continues, “either you walk very straight, or hunched over. Everybody knows you by the way you walk.” (Thanks, Jane.)
I remove my dark glasses, walk over to the main building., and oh horror, by the time I enter the main building, my real glasses are totally fogged up, I can’t see a thing. I go into the mailroom and dry them just in time before Joan and Mel come around the corner. Together we take the elevator. Joan loves this black knight and says she will vote for me. I decide on walking straight with a marching step. I don’t speak, but bow.
Very few people look at me. I walk around, bow wherever I can, most of the time without response, I am offered a candy, I gracefully bow, then I give it to a pretty little girl depicting a bride. I can barely see and wonder how I ever will find my friends. I see Alden in his prisoner outfit and assume it is Sheila who is next to him. I bow to Doris and her friend Millie. Emily tells me I look scary.
The great Hall is filling up fast, so many fun costumes. One huge person sticks out, a big woman with a sloppy wig looking for her puppy, which is pinned behind her in the pleats of her skirt. There is a gorilla; he groans, I bow. The tables in the foyer are filled to the till with sweets, and people are milling around. I try to catch their attention, but am not very successful. I am all in black, nothing fancy.
Now I am really beginning to worry. I can barely see; where are my friends? Due to my good fortune, I had seen the scarecrow hat in Joyce’s apartment and sure enough, I spot it. The three are sitting at a table with two empty chairs. I beg the candy lady for another piece and bring it to Shirley. Shirley has this black stylish wig; she reminds me of somebody whose name escapes me. I bow and they find out I don’t talk. I try to behave as if I don’t hear well either. “Do you speak English,” Shirley asks and I shake my head negatively and think immediately how dumb that is. I motion for permission to sit down. On the next table sits Karin, handing me a business card. I give it to June to read and she says, “You don’t need a gardener.”
The music sounds good. I get bold and motion to Shirley to dance. She accepts and whispers I should dance with Joyce, too. I try to swing Shirley around, it’s a clumsy try. As a true gentleman, I bring her back to her chair and at the next dance I ask Joyce. I am getting too warm. As June is a male Sheriff, no need to dance with her, and I decide to get out of my garb and return. On the way out, I run into Sam, the kosher sausage, with mustard, his daughter, and ketchup, his wife. I bow to his wife and she returns my bow. Thank you.
Glenne comes; she lifts her headpiece, and wants to know my identity. I bow, no. They see me going to the elevator and ask Eli to follow me, but he does not. I get out on the second floor and back to the third, unseen.
I shed my outer black shell, find an orange jacket and decide enough is enough, no wig for me. I return to the Great Hall. Joyce waves. “I knew you would come.”
As a sideline, they mention a black “it”. They are not quite sure if it is a man or a woman. I try not to show too much interest. I wonder if they truly do not know the identity, or are pulling my leg. Prizes are given to the pumpkin carvers and the most interesting costumes. Glenne wins a prize and so does Don Wolf, the big fat woman. Liz comes and says hello. She looks beautiful in her angel-like costume and Shirley brings up the subject of that black figure. They look around. Gone. Sadly Liz says, “I guess we’ll never know”. The three agree.
Come Monday morning, Shirley still ponders about that black creature, and June calls it the nemesis warrior.
