IN LIFE AS IN THE DANCE : GRACE GLIDES

ON BLISTERED FEET.
---Alice Abrams

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Manic Monday - Trick - or - Treat!


I was watching America's Funniest Home Videos tonight and they did a segment where people were scaring the bejeebers out of unsuspecting folks and loving every minute of it! Made me think back on all of the times I found myself in that situation, both as "scarer" and "scaree"...
When I was in high school, at the end of my last class, occasionally I had to drive to my parents' store and give a dinner break to whomever was working.
One day, my favorite employee, to whom I also referred as my "Other Mother" happened to be working. I just "happened" to have a 11-12" partially dissected night crawler in my purse - just managed to sneak it out of biology class that day. I was going to use it as a secret weapon against my much younger, wimpy little brother but, what the heck, Carpe Diem, right?

So I artistically arranged it in the dollar bill drawer in the cash register and hung around for a while for her to make a sale. Sadist that I was, I couldn't wait to see the look on her face.
Well, I got a reaction all right! The poor woman nearly passed out. She, of course, mistook it for a small snake and was horribly frightened. Her face blanched and she started shaking like a leaf and had to sit down. Guilt overwhelmed me and it was no longer funny. It was a good lesson for me not to mess with the elderly! Stick to little brothers with strong tickers.

The first fright I remember was seeing Walt Disney's Snow White, where the horrible witch was going to roll the stone down on SW and her buddies. My cousin and I were scared out of our wits and my mother almost had to haul us out of the theater. (For all of you young "kids" who may be snickering at this point, remember, we weren't as sophisticated as you guys are today! That was some scary stuff back then!)

Then I remember my grandmother scaring the holy bat crap out of me when I was about 12 when staying overnight with her and my grandfather. The air raid sirens went off accidently (but we didn't know it then) and she was convinced the Russians had landed and taken over the U.S. This was during the cold war and she had me convinced!

This theme was carried out by my former husband during a youth rally at our church in the mid '70's. Unbeknown to me, the youth leaders had arranged to pull a prank on the kids (trying to make them aware of being ready for the unknown). While a guest speaker was at the microphone, one of the youth ministers came sprinting up the aisle, spoke to him urgently and the speaker, after clearing his throat, told us, in a shaking voice, that a nuclear weapon had been discharged over New York by the Russians (those pesky people!). Since my sweet grandmother had help embed this fear in me, my blood ran cold. After all, I'd watched "On the Beach!"

All I could think of was "Where in the heck are my kids?" One was sitting a little bit in front of me; I knew one was with his dad but I wasn't certain where my youngest was. The speaker was informing us that we were asked to leave orderly and head towards the buses and we would be driven to shelters.

Where was my husband? Where was my daughter??? I grabbed my eldest by the arm and ran out to the parking lot. My husband was standing around, smoking a cigarette, acting totally nonchalant. I asked him if he'd heard the news and he replied, "Oh, don't be silly. They're just doing a number on the kids. All the adults know about it!" Yeah - RIGHT.

Thanks for telling me, buster! I had been so scared, I remember feeling like I wanted to throw up. I also remember not speaking to him for days...

So, tricks have not been good for my psyche! I'm all for treats. Popcorn balls anyone?
Join Marvelous Mo for Manic Monday!

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

great post!! I can also think of many times that I was scared out of my wits as a kid. I think the air raid siren was funny. I could just imagine that one...have a great Monday.

Gattina said...

Ah the poor russians they are always the bad people in the States, lol ! Maybe you read it on my blog but we don't celebrate Halloween.

Anonymous said...

I'm not one for tricks like that either! I always end up crying! lol

Desert Songbird said...

Gracie: Come see me at this link. I have something for you.

Everyone Needs a Hand to Hold Onto/My 500th Post

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Gracie....first of all I am so sorry that I have not been to your site. I think not seeing it on Google reader is one of the reasons. I have a friend here on line that i will write to. She helped my friend with that problem. Do you have VISTA software?
Also I am so sorry that i forgot that you live in California like our son. i have been so worried about him that i forgot!! I so hope that all is well with you. I feel bad that i forgot to check on you...Sandy

Ian said...

Wolverines! ;)

I'm not liking the jokes about nuclear war, especially when they were played on the kids.

Ian

Anonymous said...

I would have peed in my pants in fear over that trick.. Sheesh!

Carrie said...

I've always been more of the pop out at someone when they're least expecting it sort of person. Of course, karma has come back around, and I married someone who is also that sort of a person.. and he's a heck of a lot better at it than I am! He can get me when we're just sitting together watching television!

Durward Discussion said...

Congratulations on surviving the nuclear attack! I don't care what anyone says, scary isn't all that fun.

Sandee said...

What a story Gracie. Wow, the poor second mommy. Yikes. You ex was quite something too. Excellent tale of why you prefer treats. Have a great MM. :)

Shelia said...

Oh, great prank. I try not to prank because I'm too easy to scare!

maryt/theteach said...

Grace, I'm all for treats too! My nephew is in the Marines and did a tour in Iraq a while ago. He's home now thank goodness. I will keep your grandsons in my thoughts.

Happy MM!

Visit me at Work of the Poet
and
Answers to the Questions

Mary said...

Amen to that, I'd rather have the treats Thank You Very Much. Happy MM :D

Lee Ann aka Dixie said...

Excellent post.

I love to play the "tricks" on others but don't want them played on me.. ;-)

Happy Halloween!

Oh and you can keep the link up for Matt, I've changed the look of my blog.

Mo and The Purries said...

Yay for Popcorn Balls!

Those pesky Russkies!

The movie sequence that scared the bejeebers outta me when I was a kid:
the scene in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (the original) where they're on the boat and go thru the tunnel...

Unknown said...

Great MM Post! You remind me of a number of instances in which I was scared out of my mind ... including viewing Comedy+ MM video post earlier today (smile)...

There were many directions to go with this week's MM words Trick or Treat. I chose to go with Trick and my MM post this week tells a different story about Black Magic.

peace, Villager

Linda said...

Oh - popcorn balls! One of my favorites! I'll take two!

I can remember watching "Snow White" and being terrified of that hag of a witch myself and when she was on the side of that mountain with the thunder and lightning and all I could barely watch!

Travis Cody said...

I think that's why I was never much of a prankster. You just never can tell about someone else's sense of humor.