Halloween

Halloween.

His favorite of all holidays. 

He would take the week off before to "dress" the yard having made plans months in advance for just how it should look...and sound.

The neighborhood kids loved it stopping by each afternoon as the school bus let them off at the corner. They'd almost race each other to see who could get there first and get a peek at what Mr. Jim had done that day.

They are all gone now.

We're an aging blue collar neighborhood where no one decorates and the few children who do live here are either too young or go elsewhere. I did put my "Miss Witch" pumpkin out, but we're at the end of the cul de sac and the only house with lights on.

I miss it...the bustle...the giggles...the brash ones...the shy ones...and find myself with just a bit more than a tiny lump in my throat.

Funny how that happens now and again.

Things change, but to my mind this is not one of the better ones.

Anyway...here's to Halloween as it was in the old days.

I miss it and I miss him.