It was a perfect Halloween night in South Florida, a warm and balmy evening that felt nothing like our typical autumn. My then nine-year-old granddaughter, unfamiliar with the concept of jumping into a pile of fresh raked leaves, was instead excited about the prospect of diving into an ocean in October.
I frequently traveled to Florida to visit my daughter and her family. I made an effort not to miss many precious moments, such as watching Avery cheer, hunting for Easter eggs, or attending Grandparents’ Day. During those years when I was needed in Fort Lauderdale, Delta and I became very close. I believe that planes understand how saving time on travel leads to earning more hugs.
In 2014, Toy Story was the movie hit of the season. Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, and Mr. Potato Head were household names and commonly found on toy store shelves everywhere. It was no surprise that kids dressed up to resemble their favorite Toy Story character for Halloween.
My granddaughter decided to become Woody’s pal, Jessie. Her long hair was braided into a pigtail, and eyeliner created the illusion of freckles. Boots, jeans, a vest, and a cowboy hat completed her transformation into the perfect cowgirl.
If you wanted to garner some prime-time candy, you would be smart to gather with a group at Leah’s house. Leah was Avery’s bestie who lived on a street of dream homes with dream cars in the driveways and a boat docked nearby.
These folks didn’t just decorate for Halloween; the whole street turned into a movie production, complete with a Scream-like atmosphere. Parents drove in golf carts, monitoring their children as they traveled door to door. A carnival arcade was set up in one driveway where kids could play games. A spider bigger than my house fell from the second floor of a mansion to the top of the main entrance each time a trick-or-treater rang the doorbell.
Screams could be heard for miles, but laughter would soon follow. Another home, with a beautiful courtyard filled with flowers and palm trees, was transformed into an eerie graveyard. The scene was complete with actors jumping out from behind bushes to scare visitors, prompting us all to pray for forgiveness, including me.
As I walked with Avery, Leah, and their moms, we went from house to house laughing and gathering goodies. “Hey, everyone, remember, I get the Almond Joys! I would yell, just as I had since the days my little ones dressed as ghosts, monsters, and witches. It is my one and only famous Halloween line, and it will not change.
In the middle of all the decked-out, over-the-top, big two-to-three-story houses in Halloween garb, sat a long ranch home with a single light on the front porch. The light signaled they were open and accepting of all goblins, big and small.
Suddenly, my daughter, Heather, a University of Georgia alumna, spotted a tiny figure on the corner of the porch by the door. A little stone Uga sat proudly alone.
Gators dressed in orange and blue with gnarling teeth adorned the rest of the homes on flags, yard art, and mailboxes. I don’t blame the bulldog for hiding from those critters!
Just as Avery and Leah were walking toward the ranch house’s front door, Heather said to Avery, “When someone comes to the door, do the chant, ‘Go-O Dawgs! Sic-‘em, woof, woof, woof…!”
Avery knew it well, having been accustomed to her mother shouting the words during every football game Georgia played in her nine years of living.
A gentleman holding a large wooden bowl of candy opened the door to Jessie, loudly demonstrating her Uga chops. The man was so stunned; he finally told Jessie (aka Avery) to open her bag. When she did, he dumped the whole bowl of candy into it.
He said, “That’s a first, and thank you so much, Miss Jessie, for making my day.”
The nice gentleman then closed the door and turned off his light.
Sometimes, when we feel we are the only ones on the block, someone will come along to remind us that we are not. Surprises are always around the corner or hiding in bushes that delight us to the point of squealing.
And behind the monster masks and under the fake hairy spider are folks who are going to great lengths to create memories and laughter for the children around them. From the Gators to the Uga’s, fans love the joy of competition and the revelry it brings, offering a brief escape from life’s challenging times.
Today, Jessie is all grown up, but one day, when accompanying her child to gather treats, she will remember the time her grandma, her mom, and Uga gathered on that sultry Halloween night in Florida, with the warm breeze carrying the sounds of laughter and the scent of candy.
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Lynn Walker Gendusa began her writing career as a columnist for the LaGrange News. Today, her essays are featured regularly throughout Georgia and Tennessee. Her work also appears in Guidepost, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal, MSN.com, among others. Lynn has authored two books; the latest, “Southern Comfort,” was published in 2022. She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com. For more of her inspirational stories, click here.
