Political Halloween

“This story takes place on Halloween in Brooklyn, where anything can happen.” — Arsenic & Old Lace.

When we bought our house on Dean St, it remained dark and scary for months while we lined up contractors to begin a renovation. As Halloween approached, I knew we would not be home to dispense either tricks or treats. But I wanted to scare the neighborhood. I do not recall the exact quote, but I printed a dozen copies of Bill O’Reilly’s Fox Face with some random horrible statement he’d just made. I posted the pictures along our darkened wrought iron fence.

I do not recall any reaction or response for anybody. Since then, we’ve been upping our Halloween game.

We live at the edge of Boreum Hill, now a landmark block near the Barclay Center. “Boreum Hill” is a made-up neighborhood name for what used to be called “a bunch of crack and whore houses near downtown Brooklyn.” Our block has gentrified with only a half-dozen original families. Three schools, three churches, and three NYCHA housing projects are within a few blocks.

When we began our first in-residence Halloween, the Atlantic Yards and the frightening NY Nets were the hot horror topics. We gave out candy, but as a theatre guy, I paid close attention to my audience: Halloween attracted everyone. Halloween was a family holiday.

After school, little tots arrived in superhero outfits. Moms and dads led their families around dinner time. By eight o’clock, clusters of giggling teens arrived, sweeping up the good treats and rejecting anything remotely uncool.

As our tableaus evolved, so did our treats. One year we bought 1000 pieces, and we ran out. Neighbors started Trick or Treating door-to-door to collect candy to give away at their own houses. For the last five years, since we’ve closed the street to traffic, we’ve stabilized at 2000 kids and the same number of treats. How do I know the exact number? Well, since we upped the game to include individually wrapped gummy body parts and gummy mummies and peanut butter-filled chocolate eyeballs, we have strict policies.

One candy per kid. And they gotta be in a costume. Leslie is brutal

Teens in Hoodies get nothing but a sneer.

“What are you dressed as?”

“I’m dressed like a teenager in a hoodie.”

“Forget it. Come back when you grow up.”

Katherine, Leslie & Nina dishing out the body parts

I swore this was going to be the last year. It’s not so much physical work, but my brain hurts. I never have any ideas until the last minute, and then it’s a scramble through all the junk in our basement to see what can be assembled.

We are open to suggestions for next year.

Here is a :60 video link to this year’s highly political displays, spread across seven houses.

Here is a link to a 3:30-minute evolution of this community event.

neighbors

Neighbors