Halloween Memories

My parents loved Halloween; especially my Father.  He would design my outfits and Mom would design my sister's.

I am permanently scarred by some of my costumes...

Case in point:

1.  We were living in Kenner, LA while Dad was getting his masters degree (after 3 tours in Vietnam, the Army sent Dad to Tulane).  Laura was this adorable angel; I was a Viking princess.  All night people would hum Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries" to me or ask where was my "trusty steed"...<sigh>
 

2.  This goes down as the worst costume idea Dad decided upon...think of the time period...post Tet Offensive...the war is going badly...and my Dad puts me in black pajamas with a Montagnard hat...Yup, I was Charlie.  I love how much Mom tried to jazz it up with sequin bands.  Laura was this adorable bunny rabbit; she would hop up to each house, turn around wiggle her fuzzy tail and get handfuls of candy.  Me? Oh, I got the usual "Hey, Charlie!" and maybe 1 piece of candy...I felt just like the Charlie Brown Halloween special: "I got a candy apple! I got chocolate! What did you get Charlie Brown? "I got a rock."  <sigh>
 

3. And the last time I let Dad design my outfit.  Dad had spent time in Jordan and brought back several Keffiyehs.  Yup, that's me, a 12 year old girl; looking like a young Arab man....post OPEC Oil Embargo.  Look how cute Laura looks as Raggedy Ann!  I can't remember how many times I was called a boy and all the snarky comments that followed...<sigh>

For politically correct purposes I shall decline to show/discuss the other 2 outfits: Aunt Jemima Yes, a toddler dressed as Aunt Jemima in Ft. Benning, GA during the Civil Rights movement), and the white sheet ghost outfit (looked like a mini KKK...in 1960s Columbus, GA)...

I swear, I think my parents were trying to have me killed...