Halloween, Black Cats and Funny Memories...

Since I live in a small rural community and raised two fun loving and mischievous boys, you would think I would have plenty of funny memories about Halloween. Actually I do, but probably none a mother wants to tell about her own children! My funniest Halloween memory is still discussed in our family all of these years later, and it didn't even involve my children.

Some 20 years ago we had this gorgeous black cat. She was a huge black fur ball with the deepest green eyes you ever seen. And she was a vagabond, who would rather be out roaming the corn fields than be stuck in the house where she belonged.

My husband absolutely adored that cat, and often feared she wouldn't come home, either because she got hurt in the fields or because someone else thought she was gorgeous too and stole her. He was determined to keep her in and she was determined to go out.

Well, we all know about black cats and Halloween tales, so he was especially worried around Halloween time and insisted we keep her in at all expense. Our children were small enough that they needed to be escorted for trick or treat, so my sister volunteered to stay at our house and hand out candy to the trick or treaters.

My husband repeatedly warned her against letting the black cat get out. Apparently my sister fought the cat diligently to try to comply with her brother in laws wishes, and the cat was starting to get very upset at being detained from her nightly rounds.

At one point a knock came on the door and a child yelled trick or treat. As my sister opened the door, candy bowl in hand, the black cat came screeching down the hall, leaped out the door straight over the child's head, letting out a wailing meow at finally being set free!

The poor child threw his candy bag down with a scream and ran towards the street where his mother was standing. My sister tried desperately to apologize to the mother and child, but the mother was laughing so hard she didn't hear her.

"That was a neat trick," was all the mother could say, "How'd you get that cat to do that?" The poor child was not amused and would not even go back into the yard to retrieve his trick or treat bag. My sister got it for him, and gave him extra candy!