The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
On Thursday, October 1st, Idelwild Redcoat had her second little girl, Opal.
It was cold again, and the wind was up.
Over at the house, Puck was given gifts from the trip — a giant flying cloth frisbee and a Buzz Lightyear umbrella. His dimples became even more chubby as he smiled big and happily took it from his grandma. Then he was offered British toffee (a prize Francis had won for being top student in his Classic Conversations class), pumpkin fudge (which Carrie had made for the movie night), and hot chocolate (which he politely declined with a ‘no thanks’).
Mom had also brought gifts for OLeif and Collette: from Ikea, a bright red thin flannel throw with a fancy scalloped edge, and a glass from the Coca-Cola factory printed with Collette’s favorite soda that she had only ever seen sold in Hungary: Fanta Citrom.
Meanwhile, Collette was reviewing African geography after showing Collette the new water filter pitcher she had picked up for the family, Collette rummaged through the garage to find the popcorn popper for that night (and finally found it sitting on top of Dad’s aircraft boxes), Francis had, at last, purchased his go-cart engine, Joe was working up some momentum on a decent goatee, and Puck was fully absorbed in using Collette’s electronic dictionary as his personal baby computer.
“I working, Sun,” he said seriously. “That’s my own ‘puter. Sit down, Joe. Watch. Sit down. Sit in dat chair. I workin.”
And Dad’s thesis had been published in hardback at the Lindenwood University library: A Meta Analysis of Critical Success Factors for Computer Technology. A copy of it would also be permanently housed in the university library.
That evening, Carrie had put together a movie night. OLeif and Rose brought over the projector to set up in the living room with homemade caramel popcorn balls, and homemade pumpkin fudge, and witch’s brew tea (which Grandma had brought over from Fizziwig’s) or Carrie’s cider.
Grandma Combs came over as well with a box of donut holes, a light-up pumpkin lantern for Puck and a large bag of animal crackers, her photo album from the trip to Colorado, and a solar-powered Chinese lantern for Mom. She also brought over Linnea’s birthday — a little model ship with rolled up bills in the sails.
Then Grandma told them about her church’s youth group fundraiser for their mission trip to go to New Orleans. People would pay the youth group to stick a flock of flamingos on the lawn of anyone they so specified. Basically, they were paid to prank.
Collette then brought Puck up to meet Gloria at the car mechanic while the oil was being changed in her car. She had bought him a little bag of peanuts and they sat at the stone table outside the shop together before going back home for Puck to stay the night with them.
Then Mom and Grandma picked up the pizzas after Joe washed off Grandma’s car at the Green Lantern. And OLeif and Collette drove off for Target and picked out a pair of blue, black, and red etc. plaid shorts for the cruise for OLeif and a red flannel bathrobe for Francis, who had been particularly wanting one.
The clouds were just right and the cool and the wind and everything seemed just as though it should be Halloween already.
And then it was back to The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and The Twilight Zone with the family plus Lucia and Magnus who had also come over for the evening.