Billy B. wanted to branch out this Halloween. He had been The Creature From The Black Lagoon for two years in a row and the mask was great…especially with the Creature Hands…but he needed a new schtick to impress the kids on Illinois Avenue. Chet agreed but was reluctant to give up his Lost In Space Robot persona…as it had impressed the girls. They had wondered what was in the new Halloween Emporium that was housed in the old Grand Theatre. It was only 2 weeks and 5 days until Halloween and they wanted it to be the best Trick or Treat that they had ever experienced. It was 1963 and the future looked bright for a scary October 31.

Sally wanted to join Chet and Billy B. Her name was Sally and she actually looked like the Peanuts character ‘Sally.’ As they walked up to the ancient Theatre Marque they marveled that the strobing lights were on…and an Emporium Employee, dressed like President Kennedy, said to them, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you…but what you can do for your country.’ The President then opened the doors and bade them to enter. Sally immediately noticed the Marilyn Monroe Masks and costumes. She grabbed one of each and said with some self satisfaction, ‘One of each for me…please.’ Chet saw a Haunted House display and a door to enter the spooky dwelling. It took a minute for their eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. It seemed that since they were in an old movie theatre that the Emporiums owners had made good use of film. On their right was a film of a horse drawn cassock and there was the First Lady, Jackie Kennedy, and her two small children…and John John…saluting…as the funeral procession passed. When they walked a few steps further…before them was African American men pointing at a hotel balcony…and crying. Finally they saw on there left a film of a group of people huddled around President Kennedy’s brother, Bobby, and blood was on the floor with him…and again…people were crying.

Billy B. said…’What was that?’ Chet responded that perhaps they had seen something that most people had not seen…