I love the season, Fall. Everything is crisp, the weather, the food, the frost, the people.
The harvest moon rises, it's always huge and orange, very other worldly, the leaves fall to the soft panting soil. I can smell the burning leaves from my neighbor's fire, I love it. There are two pumpkins on the front porch. I carved faces into them. I open the tops and light the candles inside. I'm a stickler for these details. I pity anyone who will steal my pumpkin and smash it. They did that one year, some assholes stole it and smashed it in front of the cemetery, a gang of boys. I got my revenge, I never went out with any of them, who wants to go out with losers who would smash a pumpkin? I can be cruel that way but those are the breaks.
Beggar's night or Trick or Treat is always, well....I look forward to it. Not so much for the candy but the walking around at night. The entire town is alive, each family gets some visitors. Little children dressed like ghosts, ninjas, witches, vampires and zombies. Candy tastes so much better on Trick or Treat. This year I went to an old lady's house. She is sickly and she doesn't get too much company, she lives on the outskirts of town. But she has candy bars. "I tend to spoil the kids that make it here, it's a long walk." I had my pick of a Three Musketeers or a Milky Way. I took the Milky Way. While I ate we talked about the latest teen death. Autumn also is cursed with a teen death, usually by car accident. It never fails, when school starts someone dies. It's tragic.
"Wasn't it a shame about Willy?"
Willy Wilson had just died in a car accident the week before. Late at night, Willy had just dropped off his friend, then he drove up the road and hit a tree head on. I heard horrific details about what he looked like after. The casket was closed.
"Did you know him?"
"He was older, I didn't know him very well."
"There were no skid marks, did you know that?"
"No, what does that mean?"
"Suicide." She whispered.
"Oh." I said as I chewed on the candy.
"His parents said that he was in love."
I didn't answer, it's not polite to talk with your mouth full.
"They don't know who the girl is but she wouldn't have anything to do with him, now he's gone. He lost the will to live. Veronique, would you like another candy bar?"
"Oh, no thanks,.......well maybe one for the walk back into town."
The second Milky Way tasted better than the first. On the way back to town I decided to walk by where Willy smashed his car. I had to walk about a mile out of the way but I hadn't been to the accident scene yet. I wanted to see exactly where it happened. I walked around a long curve then I saw a large Maple tree. A car was parked by it. The people in the car were looking at the tree. They saw me and they slowly pulled away. I bet they were embarrassed to be seen gawking, it's so morbid. The full moon highlighted the huge scar on the tree. Half the bark had been ripped off. There were small fragments of glass, paper, metal and plastic scattered on the ground. There was also just litter from motorists. People had left floral tributes at the base of the tree. I could read some of them.
"Willy, I loved you."
"Rest in Peace, Bro."
"Why, Willy?"
"I hope she reads this."
On the last wreath I saw a small envelope, I plucked it from the flowers. I opened the sealed note and read it.
"He loved you, did you know that? He worshipped you and you only. We tried to save him, but he wouldn't hear about anyone else. He never told you, you were too special, we couldn't even mention your name. Now he's been taken from us. I hope you are happy Veronique."
I crumpled the note and walked back to my house. Outside on the porch I checked the pumpkins, I opened mine and dropped the note inside. I watched through the pumpkin's eyes as the note ignited and charred. I had heard that the steering wheel had removed half his head and brains, how gross. I went inside to make an apple pie.
