I just realized a little something my mom and I have in common. I like to be entertained. However, it’s not exactly a common trait, more of a common interest. My mom likes to entertain.
It’s almost October. Pumpkins are already in stores, ready to make their debuts as everything from amateur Jack-o-lanterns to elaborate works of art. And for some reason while thinking of the season, a childhood memory surfaced. The Monster Mash.
The Monster Mash. It was a graveyard smash. It was also a song my mother bought. A vinyl 45. 45’s had two songs. Side A was the song you wanted to buy. Side B was not.
I don’t know what other parents bought. Great Moments in Opera? Frank Sinatra? I’m pretty sure my mother also bought The Twist and Do The Hucklebuck, because I’m sure learning these dances along with The Monster Mash held some cultural significance.
It wasn’t that. She likes to entertain, to have fun and have others join in. Was she bringing them to a party? Much later in life, she became a disc jockey of sorts, bringing her boombox and cd’s to senior club dances. I’m sure this early training of knowing just the right music to dance to played a part.
In thinking of my mom, Halloween, and her penchant for amusement, I thought of something else.
She liked to create her own costumes. And she liked to win if there was a contest. In the not-so-distant past, though, a rift in that particular continuum occurred. The costume winner at the senior center was wearing a mask. That was his entire costume. Well, actually, it wasn’t a costume. He was related to the judge. The fix was in.
My mom doesn’t like to be overlooked. If she’s going to entertain, she likes some appreciation for her effort. She decided not to go to anymore senior center Halloween parties. If the fix is in, why bother?
She did come up with some gems over the years. One of my favorites because it boggled my mind, was her Siamese mummy costume. She and my brother’s wife were wrapped together in strips of white rags. I don’t know how they walked together without falling. “What kind of weird costume is that?” I asked. “Did neither of you have to use the restroom all night?”
“We unraveled ourselves right after we won” my mom replied. It’s a good thing they had the contest at the beginning of the party.
But yes, she won. She wouldn’t go to a Halloween party dressed in a costume without expecting to win. There’d be no sense in that.