Growing up Okie in Los Angeles

Outfitted with a brown paper grocery sack and a white dress shirt with tails out from my dad’s closet I began to assemble my horrific looking Halloween masquerade. The final touch was the charred cork rubbed and smudged all over my face. Achieving that frightful Hobo smudged beard look of course. So now, I was ready for the annual neighborhood Halloween haunt and goody-grab. This is what this Okie kid costumed him self in for Halloween October 1953. A fearsome look I must admit.

Nonetheless, it also appeared my best friend Donnie and I had the same make-up consultant. The only difference between Donnie and me, Donnie was from Milwaukee and I was as mentioned, an Okie child growing up in East Los Angeles. Certainly Okie cultural credentials enough that would easily waive any big city sensibility. So, I’m not sure what excuse Donnie used to justify his own costuming. What a combo nonetheless.

It was harvest fall by the big fat moon 1953 and Donnie and I were in the fourth grade. However, Donnie was enrolled at Saint Alfoncis Catholic School and I at Montebello Park Elementary. But anyway, why did we dress the same? What was our excuse for the Hobo look in white dress shirts? Hobos rarely wear their dad’s white dress shirts. Shirt Sleeves were rolled up and tails hanging down to our knees. Looking like penguin turned upside down. But anyway, only teenage sisters wore their dad’s white dress shirt with tails out back then. Something’s was certainly wrong here.

Well, in spite of our questionable choice of costume we marched on. So with great resolve, the two of us headed out to Trick and/or Treat. Two neighborhood buds intent on harvesting a large booty of candy and gum. And, This was a time back when kids actually said aloud and as loud as could be, “trick or treat!” But if frightening barks and growls came from behind the front door, we quickly moved on to the next house.

Now let me mention here, these days’ big and little kids come to the door and hold out with great anticipation their orange phosphorescent plastic Halloween bags. Only to say almost nothing. No “trick or treat.” No “please kind sir, give me candy now!” However, you can hear them thinking. “Just put in a dozen Snicker Bars and let me out of here.” You can see this apparent irritation written on their heavily glittered faces. Finally turn their plastic costume shrouded bodies away to the Halloween candy benefactors and shuffle off in full retreat. Completely ignoring the real carved pumpkin face and realistic spider webs over the doorway. Something someone went to lots of trouble to decorate. Oh my. What a perverse and shameless generation.

Oh well anyway, Donnie and I back then had great fun pretending to scare most everybody. Maybe it wasn’t scary as much as it was a surprise. People coming to the door would be stupefied. “Oh my, what are you boys? Teenage girls with black beard?” Donnie and I would look at each other with rolling eyes and think, “Just load in a dozen Snicker Bars and let us out of here. Trick or Treat!