To Kill a Mounds Bar

Coming Of Age was a common theme in literature from the 19th century. I argue that it is still a relevant topic as seen in my Halloween experiences. Looking back at the last 20 years of my life, I see no other holiday with such thematic relevance than this one. Several Halloweens are permanently etched into my brain.

1. In elementary school met up with a few girls and boys from class to go trick-or-treating. As we were still under the age of 12, the skankiest costume was that of the queen of hearts complete with a mom-made white sweatshirt with red-bedazzled heart decal. It was a fun night, as it was one of the first without parental supervision, and it was all quite innocent. When i got home, I emptied my candy-filled pillowcase on the floor in front of the TV and watched ninja turtles while I sorted my candy into genres, (Sour, Fruity, Chocolaty, & Nasty if you were curious).
2. Fast forward 5 years. This time in high school, my friends and I all tried to be as sexy as our stick-figures would allow. Our activity ratio was 20% house-to-house charades and 80% movie night with our crushes after dark. It didn't matter what our costumes were as long as there was some time to flirt for a few hours.
3. Fast Forward 5 years.In college my soroity sisters would compete as if they were mathletes:

Halloween = (exposed skin(in.) x # boys who stare)+3(body weight)alcohol

Worth minutes before your stomach must be pumped

Despite the sub-freezing temperatures of central New York, if you

went out with more than spandex on you were shunned until spring

break when you could redeem yourself again. Many didn't remember

anything the next day expect until they saw the obscene photos

that were posted on the internet. I don't recommend this approach

to your Halloween festivities - it is messy on so many levels.

Fast forward 5 years and we're in the current. This year I spent my Halloween giving out candy to small children complete with the "Aren't you a beautiful ballerina!" and "Optimus Prime, you're my favorite autobot!"

There's an interesting progression to all of this. From childhood excitement to ambiguity to an excuse be skanky to excitement for the kids enjoyment. Perhaps this is proof that I'm now an adult; my Halloween experience has come full circle. If this is true, then that is the most depressing thing I've heard in a while. Maybe next year I'll dress-up and cause a scene to regain my lost adolescence. Who's in???