Greenpoint
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Culture on the Cheap
Halloween In Greenpoint
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
Yesterday I had the pleasure dispensing fistfuls of teeth-rotting goodness to children of all ages at the junk shop. The zeal with which I took to executing this task seemed to surprise Larry da Junkman:
That’s really cute.
Me: What?
Larry: You handing out candy. You really like doing this, don’t you?
Me: Of course I do. It’s HALLOWEEN!
Who couldn’t enjoy giving the gift of refined sugar to a Jedi master as sweet as this one?
I like to call this guy “Chicken Little”.
This little Lion King’s make-up got a little discombobulated in transit.
No worries, mom repainted his whiskers and he was good as new! A curious dialog came to pass when I asked this little guy’s parents if I could take his picture.
Father: Are you going to put this online?
Me: Maybe. Probably on flickr.
Father: Do you have a web site?
Me: Yes.
Mother: Is it New York Shitty?
Me: Well actually it is.
Mother: You’re the lady who takes all the pictures!
Me: Whew! I was expecting you to say something a lot worse!
The above two photographs do not do this little fella justice. He was heart-wrenchingly adorable! But Halloween is not just about cherubic faced young ‘uns.
As you can see the guys at Papacitos* got into the Halloween spirit! The above gentleman gyrated for a good 20-30 seconds while exclaiming:
Can you see my junk?
I told him “yes” and gave him a lollipop. Very few things have the power to truly shock me anymore; this is because I was once a civil servant. That said, bipeds were not the only creatures wearing costumes today.
This poodle sported her finest fettle for the occasion.
And I even made the acquaintance of a pirate pup!
As I was handing out candy a woman I know, a bona fide Greenpoint old-timer, pulled me aside and said:
You realize a lot of these people (I was giving candy to) do not live here.
I had honestly not given the matter any thought. This is probably because I do not care.
Halloween is about dressing up, flauting the drudgery and conventions of everyday life and having fun. It is very much a collective experience —not unlike Christmas or New Year’s Eve. It is— in its strange way— about sharing. I am not going to ask for proof of residency before doling out lollipops or Hershey’s Kisses to children. There was more than enough confectioneries and fun to go around. For everyone.**
I suppose this makes me a candy-giving Commie —or a lollipop pimping populist.
Make that a newly zombified lollipop pandering populist —or carnivorous Commie!
BRAINS!!!
Miss “Living Undead” Heather
P.S.: You can see more pix of Halloween on Manhattan Avenue by clicking here.
*Who have made themselves near and dear to my heart by serving up vegan breakfast tacos. Thanks guys!
**Save a CONSTRUCTION WORKER from (where else?) the Viridian who snatched a lollipop from my tray without asking and then proceeded to laugh about it with his cronies (one of whom said “Hey lady, can I suck on a lollipop?”). This chap, dear readers, was a certifiable grade “A” ASSHOLE. The least this man could have done is ASKED FIRST —but I suppose he felt “entitled” to it. Clearly he was not taught good manners like the following child (I gave a heaping helping of candy to today):
Child #1 (after I gave him a fistful of candy): I want a Hershey’s Kiss.
Child #2: You shouldn’t tell people what you want. It’s not very nice.
Miss Heather (to child #2): You my friend have very good manners. For this reason you are getting a Hershey’s kiss.
Kindness and civility go a long way folks. Or at the very least you can show me your “junk” when pandering for junk food. Grabbing shit off my candy tray is just plain RUDE.
Comments
5 Comments on Halloween In Greenpoint
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bitchcakes on
Sat, 1st Nov 2008 11:16 am
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TSOL on
Sat, 1st Nov 2008 11:34 am
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rowan on
Sat, 1st Nov 2008 6:10 pm
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neighborhood threat on
Mon, 3rd Nov 2008 2:52 pm
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amandabee on
Mon, 3rd Nov 2008 3:48 pm
This is a great post! I loved the photos of the kids. Look at you, handing out candy to kids while simultaneously giving lessons on manners. I love it! And I agree, candy to all- no proof of residence required. Though curiously, this is my third Halloween here and I have had zero trick or treaters in all 3 years! I see them on Manhattan Ave- do they only hit stores, and not the homes? It seems odd.
PS I hope you and the Mr had a fantastic anniversary!
PPS In your “PS”, the link to your flickr pics is missing
The new hat and bangle store on Manhattan Ave, Bedazzled, had a “No trick or treat!” sign up on Halloween.
ha! my pet store guy gave me some candy, too, after the trick or treaters. i saw lots of funny and cute costumes, including a little boy dressed as an elephant. looked like everyone was having fun last night.
It is entirely too dangerous for children in NYC to go door to door, except maybe out in places like Gerritsen Beach or Rego Park or places where there are neighborhoods. Hence the reason they go to businesses, so they can still trick or treat.
Also, most apartment buildings wouldn’t buzz groups of people in. I know I wouldn’t. not even in Greenpoint.
People who “do not live here” probably live in neighborhoods where the trick-or-treating is for shit. We *never* went out in my neighborhood. We straight to the big fancy houses on Belvedere where they gave out candy by the fistful.
More to the point, though, unless you bought classy candies, I bet there wasn’t much in the way of refined sugar on your candy tray. Pure corn syrup is more like it!
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