Barometer
Chiller Thriller Night
The Dragon costume was easy; we already had the long green and yellow coiled tail made out of felt that was sewn and duct-taped and glued.
Now that he wanted to wear it for Halloween, he needed wings as well. Outdoor wings. Rainy, snowy, last-day-of-October-in-northern-BC wings.
Fortunately, we always have a large stockpile of important cardboard. Large pieces of corrugated cardboard would be strong enough to stand upright. This stuff is hard to cut! Get a serrated knife, these scissors are no good!
Now get the kid to stand still enough to fit the base of the wings to his green jacket’s shoulders and elbows. Hang on there buddy…whoa! Stop twirling! Okay, I’m sweatin’ here, too, just give me a minute.
Now to cut the artistic flowing yet dangerous-looking edges: perfect. How to waterproof? Ah-ha! This dragon has scales of silver! More duct tape.
Now, how will you be able to grab your candy with cardboard claws? No, no, don’t cry, we’ll figure something out.
Let’s tape the claw-tips directly to glove fingers! Wow! You look really scary!
Next, the Mummy.
This will be easy, right? Just tear one thrift-store sheet into strips and wind ‘em around his parka and snow pants, in a particularly cold northwest October.
I spent a lot of time fashioning the candy-holder: You simply take a boat-bailer pitcher and coat it with plaster gauze: one Egyptian canopic jar. The head of the Duamutef (the jackal or wild-dog-headed guardian of the stomach) flipped up to receive the treats.
Did you know, it takes at least half a sheet to coat one eight year old’s leg when encased in snow pants? Panic! Thrift store’s closed! I sacrificed some pale pillow sheets to the Four Sons of Horus and continued winding around and around. The finished result, I was dismayed to see, looked more like a red-parka-and-pants-striped zebra than a mummy. I was expecting more All Hallow’s Eve’s tears when he marched to the bedroom to see himself in the full-length mirror. I waited for the wail.
Instead, he came out to the kitchen and announced, “I look great!” I agreed, adding mittens that I assured him were completely authentic.
The Robot costume was enhanced by his dad’s having time off late that October, as there was wiring involved, and numerous trips to the plumbing and heating aisle.
The torso featured a chest-anchored control box revealing wires and several sets of hobby-train-set blinking lights. There were switches and buttons.
Another duct-taped box fit over the top and back of his head—good protection from that year’s frighteningly cold wind.
The arms and legs were aluminum ducts, pipes, and elbows. That one had kids crossing the street to exclaim at him: a real hit.
Last year, it was Davy Jones of “Pirates of the Caribbean” fame.
A pirated-up old raincoat and broad hat helped the sea-farer stay warm and dry.
The beard: aye, what ARRR you gonna use to make that animated beard? Dozens of hand-sewn tentacles with wire inside and soft felt outside. Twirl them up here and there. And wait! One last thing—a wire key to suspend from one upturned tendril.
This year? Well, we were watching “Total Recall” recently. Do you know the character called Kuato, the Resistance leader who is revealed to be a mutant growing out of his own brother’s abdomen? Now, if we could get Kuato’s little arms to look like they were reaching out for the candy, that would be really cool.
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