A Halloween Grocery Story

Halloween around the corner reminded me of a grocery story from some years ago. We were invited to a Halloween party by a couple who always throw an impressive shindig. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was still on TV, and my husband and I were big fans, so we chose the show as our theme.

We took an old suit of Hubby’s, tore it artistically in a couple places and daubed it with “graveyard dirt.” Applied some make-up to give him that “undead” look and for the finishing touch, he bought some nifty vampire canine teeth from a costume shop. They are single teeth that you apply over your own canines. You still have trouble eating salsa and chips, but at least you can talk without sounding like a twelve-year-old with a new retainer.

So he was the vampire. And I would be Buffy. Buffy is a barely 5-foot teenager with blond hair and an athletic body. I am not. I decided to go with the spirit of the thing rather than the major surgery required to look like Sarah Michelle Gellar.

A trip to the thrift store found me a cute blue sweater that looked sort of cheerleadery with the addition of a fake high school name on the front. I made my own little flirty skirt in panels of blue and white, and my daughter just happened to have blue and white pompoms. I put my hair up in a ponytail, wore white socks and tennis shoes and carried a sharpened stake with my pompoms. People would get the idea.

On the way to the Halloween party, we realized that we had no film for the camera. (Remember when “Buffy” was still on TV not everyone in those days had a digital camera!) We stopped at a local grocery store to pick some up.

The vampire pulled up to the door. He would stay outside and keep the car running. I went in, picked out my film, and got in line. A couple guys bought some beer, then it was my turn. The elderly lady rang up my film, took my money, and as she’s handing me the bag she said:

“Good luck at the game tonight, dear!”

Certainly made this thirty-year-old cheerleader’s day!