You got the best

Well, Halloween has come and passed once again. The holiday has always been a favorite for me, even taking a higher place than Christmas, largely because of the amount of fun you get to have dressing up as a creature of the dark, a silly clown or some other figure and banging on doors to demand candy.

In my childhood days, I always wanted something cute like a clown, but as I aged the costumes got a bit darker. Zombies, Riff Raff, the grim reaper, etc. I did once go back to being a clown, but Pennywise is a far cry from Bozo.

However, the last time I put on a Halloween disguise was about six years back when I was vying for first place in a costume contest at a bar doing my best Raoul Duke.

I didn’t get any points for obscurity.

Stepping back from those costumed days, I’ve instead found my Halloween fun in getting kids ready to enjoy the day. Little did I know when I first came to Thermopolis just how much the schools get into the holiday. Teachers in pajamas greeted my youngest at the Children’s Resource Center, while at Ralph Witters Elementary were decked out in full bee regalia, a reference to their goal this year for everyone to be respectful, be kind and be extraordinary, among other good qualities.

But bees weren’t the only thing buzzing outside the door of RWE, as members of the greatest rock and roll band on earth, KISS, were also in wait. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my oldest son so excited to see those mystery solvers who helped Mystery Inc. in his favorite cartoon. Of course, they’re a bit more frightening for him outside the television screen.

After dropping the kids off, I thought of the tagline that often accompanies these painted rock and rollers — “You wanted the best, you got the best.” — and it certainly rings true for those who step up to keep the fun and magic of Halloween alive for the youngsters in our community.