It was an interesting Hallowee'n. We ate around 6pm, so as to be ready for the Trick or Treaters. They started to trickle around 7pm, just as we'd settled down to watch Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde on Turner Classic Movie channel - the Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman version.
It was dusk. The early Trick or Treat contingent usually consists of teeny tiny fairies or goblins who sweetly gaze up at you as you answer the doorbell, big bowl of candy in hand. They stand there nervously as Mom and/or Daddy hover in the shadows. Eyes wide, they delicately pull a single candy from the bowl and daintily drop it into their little bag - "Take some more", we'll say. The fairy or goblin turns doubtfully to look at Mommy who eagerly nods.
A little later the older tribes arrive, mob-handed. With a few years of Trick or Treating under their belts, they know the score! When offered a bowl of candies their hands come down, claw fashion, like a human earthmoving machine half emptying the bowl. We don't mind. There'll be less left to tempt me.
Spencer was, by now, at his most evil with poor Ingrid begging for mercy. It was around 7.50 when.....the lights went out, the power went off, and we found ourselves in total darkness.
There was no storm, the skies were completely clear....."Vandals playing a trick because a treat wasn't forthcoming at the electricity company's office?" We wonder.
"It's all very Hallowe'en-ish".
"Well, the Martians haven't landed, a tsunami isn't heading this way either or the emergency squeal would have interrupted the radio programme", said the husband reassuringly, as we listened to the soothing jazz being played on our battery operated radio, kept for just such emergencies.
" Oh, Good!"
After a while the husband called the daughter who confirmed that their power had gone off also, but only for 10 minutes and was now back on. They are supplied by a different company, though presumably off the same grid. We remained in darkness for almost an hour.
"We should buy a musical instrument for occasions such as this", I declared. "Maybe a banjo - it'd be fun!"
I wandered into the kitchen and opened the venetian blind to find the backyard bathed in silvery light. At first I thought the yard light must have somehow found its own power source, but no, light was coming from a big, almost full Moon. It struck me as I gazed out, how important and magical the Moon must have seemed to ancient peoples.
Then the lights went up, the TV spluttered back to life. A new movie had started. I'll never know whether Spencer Tracy got his come uppance, or if poor Ingrid survived. Ah well...maybe next Hallowe-en they'll show the movie again.
It was dusk. The early Trick or Treat contingent usually consists of teeny tiny fairies or goblins who sweetly gaze up at you as you answer the doorbell, big bowl of candy in hand. They stand there nervously as Mom and/or Daddy hover in the shadows. Eyes wide, they delicately pull a single candy from the bowl and daintily drop it into their little bag - "Take some more", we'll say. The fairy or goblin turns doubtfully to look at Mommy who eagerly nods.
A little later the older tribes arrive, mob-handed. With a few years of Trick or Treating under their belts, they know the score! When offered a bowl of candies their hands come down, claw fashion, like a human earthmoving machine half emptying the bowl. We don't mind. There'll be less left to tempt me.
Spencer was, by now, at his most evil with poor Ingrid begging for mercy. It was around 7.50 when.....the lights went out, the power went off, and we found ourselves in total darkness.
There was no storm, the skies were completely clear....."Vandals playing a trick because a treat wasn't forthcoming at the electricity company's office?" We wonder.
"It's all very Hallowe'en-ish".
"Well, the Martians haven't landed, a tsunami isn't heading this way either or the emergency squeal would have interrupted the radio programme", said the husband reassuringly, as we listened to the soothing jazz being played on our battery operated radio, kept for just such emergencies.
" Oh, Good!"
After a while the husband called the daughter who confirmed that their power had gone off also, but only for 10 minutes and was now back on. They are supplied by a different company, though presumably off the same grid. We remained in darkness for almost an hour.
"We should buy a musical instrument for occasions such as this", I declared. "Maybe a banjo - it'd be fun!"
I wandered into the kitchen and opened the venetian blind to find the backyard bathed in silvery light. At first I thought the yard light must have somehow found its own power source, but no, light was coming from a big, almost full Moon. It struck me as I gazed out, how important and magical the Moon must have seemed to ancient peoples.
Then the lights went up, the TV spluttered back to life. A new movie had started. I'll never know whether Spencer Tracy got his come uppance, or if poor Ingrid survived. Ah well...maybe next Hallowe-en they'll show the movie again.
I did that with the moon, too: Wondered who had a security light on before realizing it was just a very bright moon. Just think: without the power outage, we probably would not have had a moment to contemplate the full beauty of moonlight, a sight we usually miss because of light pollution.
ReplyDeleteOh synchronicity, T. I was out there with the moon myself last night. She was beautiful. I couldn't believe how bright the landscape was.
ReplyDeleteAll Hallows indeed!!
XO
WWW
kaleymorris ~~~ That's true. the vandals (or whatever) did us a favour, for once. :-)
ReplyDeleteWWW ~~~ So good that it was such a clear night! At this time of year that's often not the case. :-)
ReplyDelete