October is coming. The month I arrived a long time ago. As a young child I could not conceive of my birth in 1957. I lived in the 60s and the 50s seemed remote. Looking back my environment was indeed 50s and 60s. I loved my desk in school. It was wooden and the desk top lifted to reveal a neat place to store my stuff. My own little office. School had good cold milk for free. I enjoyed milk. My earliest memories of living in Chicago were Leave It To Beaver memories. We lived on a well manicured street with nice houses lining both sides of the avenue. Everyone knew each other and the fellowship was rewarding. It seemed I was the apple of my parent’s eyes for a time.
The crisp air and holiday atmosphere was exciting. We moved from Sauk Village to Eldorado in the fall. The Victorian house we lived in was across the street from the High School. Dad and Uncle Bill sat on the long porch and watched the Eldorado Eagles play football under the lights. Those nights were cold a was the house with its fireplace in each room and a coal furnace in the basement. When I woke up each morning I did not want to get out from under the several quilts covering me.
October is the ideal fall month. Not to cold not winter. Refreshing and renewing as we asses the year and what it has brought. Halloween and costumes bought at the Ben Franklin Dime Store. A kid can be who ever they want to be for an evening. Popcorn Balls and apple cider sitting around the campfire telling tales and seeing shadows. The month for Frankenstein and Dracula and the Creature From The Black Lagoon. Ghosts around the corner in the Victorian Haunted House. ‘This Halloween we will have a party at Billy B’s Haunted House,’ Chet said. ‘It is rumored that the ghost of the former occupant lives in the basement,’ Chet continued. ‘The Brooks were rich in the Victorian Era and their house was magnificent,’ Chet noted. ‘Mr. Brooks traded on the Chicago Stock Exchange and traveled to Chicago weekly until his untimely death when the Stock Market crashed,’ Chet said with a sinister laugh. ‘Nellie lost her bearings and became a recluse after the patriarch’s death. ‘Nellie Brooks has been seen walking with a candle through the house at night,’Chet said. ‘It is said that she loved Halloween…and she is especially excited to hear that Brooks have moved into her house,’ Chet laughed and winked.
‘Welcome home Mr. Brooks,’ Nellie said with a smile. ‘I have been waiting for your return,’ Nellie noted with a wide smile. ‘I hope you recall when we purchased our honeymoon home,’ Nellie asked? ‘How are our stocks and bonds doing,’ Nellie danced. ‘Now that you are home again we will renovate the Old Vic,’ Nellie laughed.
