The Halloween That (Really) Wasn't

We was robbed, I tells ya.

In an ironic follow-up to last year's similarly titled post, this year I actually did manage to completely miss Halloween.

As in, for me, Halloween did not happen.

*Poof* and goodbye.

Because of the previously mentioned October snowstorm and the subsequent power outage(s), I was, quite literally, in the dark on Halloween.

And not in a good way.

And it wasn't just me. In several towns in Connecticut, Halloween was actually postponed. Because of all the trees and power lines down, Trick r' Treating was pushed back in many places to tomorrow (Saturday, November 5).

Imagine that--You only get five good Halloweens as a kid, and kids growing up now just got robbed of one. It's like that movie, only the witch decided not to take her annual ride, and Halloween was actually cancelled.

Huh.

As I've stated many times before, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love horror movies and novels, creepy comics, and really, all things related to the season. I am a full-fledged citizen of Mr. Bradbury's October Country, and I look forward each year to the changing colors of the leaves.

This year, though. Yikes. This wasn't like forgetting to buy a pumpkin, nor was it like not having enough time to read a favorite holiday novel or comic.

This year?

This year there was no Santa--uh, I mean Jack Skellington. There was no Freddy or Jason or Dracula. But, what's worse, this year there was no Michael Myers. My favorite holiday, and my favorite horror movie.

And. I. Didn't. Get. To. Watch. It.

The lights were way, way out by Sunday and still quite hilariously out by Monday, and laptops were drained to start the weekend, so that option wasn't looking great. Still, I had to at least attempt to keep holy the one Halloween tradition I have never broken.

I was going to watch John Carpenter's original Halloween, no matter what. I simply had to see if Laurie Strode manages to get away this year.

So, despite the fact that my laptop had just below 20% power, and that I almost certainly should have saved some power for the week ahead, I popped the Blu-Ray into the player and the (glorious, creepy, and iconic) opening music flooded the two-inch speakers, adding a tinny ambiance to the kind-of-dark (it was in Energy Saver mode) 15-inch screen.

And I sat there, wrapped in blankets (no heat) and happily watched the film that I save for one viewing a year.

And it was everything I'd hoped for; everything I remember about the movie. And then, because I am a glutton for punishment (or because all writers must face more ironic situations than anyone else on Earth), as things just start heating up (on screen, I mean; definitely not in my house), I utter:

"Ya know, as long as Laurie Strode can get out of that closet every year, I think everything is going to be just fine."

And then the computer died.

With Laurie still stuck in the closet, Michael Myers hacking away at the door. A hopeless, dark scenario.

So, just to recap:

Alex's Halloween:


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Enjoy your weekend, everyone!