"Will You Be My Neighbour?"

Here's the skinny. I'm walking home from work when I notice a man of about middle age across from a jack-o-lantern display. I would have turned away and kept walking were it not for the fact that he carried a large white sign that proclaimed DO AWAY WITH HALLOWEEN. Even better, he very very much resembled Fred Rogers.

For those of you who are new here, I love Halloween. It's even more exciting than Christmas to me. So saying I was a tad disturbed by this would be an understatement. After the debacle with the two McCain supporters, you'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now.

You would think.

So yet again I meander up to this protester and ask him what issue he takes with this holiday.

Kendall versus the Protester. Take Two. Ohhhhh...LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMBLE!

Me: Excuse me Sir, but what does Satan have to do with Halloween?

Mr. Rogers: It is a Pagan holiday and has no place in a Christian country.

Me: I suppose that logic makes sense were it not for two things.

Mr. Rogers: And what would those be, young man?

Me: One, this isn't a Christian country. Two, one of the biggest holidays of the Christian calendar started off as a pagan holiday.

Mr. Rogers: Son, words change meaning all the time. Christmas is no longer a pagan holiday. I personally do not see the good in it from a spiritual or mental point of view.

Me: I think Halloween has become our one holiday where there is no better meaning. It's just meant to be fun.

Mr. Rogers: On that we agree, however, I don't feel comfortable with the fact there is nothing to really celebrate. It's merely an excuse to scare the dickens out of other folks.

Me: I can respect that stance. I've known families who would do other things on Halloween since they didn't agree with it. But now that I think about it, I think there is a greater lesson to Halloween.

Mr. Rogers: And what would that be Son?

Me: That no one should take themselves too seriously.

And the Mr. Rogers look-alike chuckled at that one, agreeing on this point. We ended up chatting for a few more minutes until I said I had to go.

Me: Sir, may I ask you a question?

Mr. Rogers: Go right ahead.

Me: Will you be my neighbour?

Mr. Rogers threw his head back and laughed. He looked at me with a smile and said, "I get that a lot."

So today I learned the meaning of Halloween. Or puzzled it out I suppose would be more accurate. At least it's better than waiting for the Great Pumpkin to rise. Poor Linus.

The moral of today's story? Don't take yourself so seriously. If only for this one night of the year.

And in the spirit of that lesson, I shall leave you with a rather appropriate song from my favourite movie of all time.




Happy Halloween Folks!