November 01, 2004

Trick or Treat

Posted by Kieran

Or, “Anything for Halloween?” as we used to chant at doorways when we went around in the Days Before Television. Other differences between Halloween in Ireland then and the U.S. now include the absence of pumpkins and the stricter dress code — we had to dress up as something frightening, whereas in the U.S. it’s more like a fancy dress party. A final difference: the apartment across the way from us has a pumpkin carved with “W ‘04”. I get the sense that there’s a bit of strife between the college girls who share the apartment, as one of them keeps turning the pumpkin around so that the uncarved side faces outward. If the carver comes trick-or-treating I’ll be sure to ask why she expects a handout from me. Let the market provide you with candy, I say.

Posted on November 1, 2004 01:13 AM UTC
Comments

Re: “The apartment across the way from us has a pumpkin carved with “W ‘04””

Are you sure you haven’t misread the pumpkin? A pumpkin is supposed to be scary A pumpkin carved “W ‘04” is not an encouragement to vote for W in 04. It is a statement that for W to win in ‘04 is really scary.

I say give her ALL the candy…

Posted by Brad DeLong · November 1, 2004 01:45 AM

“Let the market provide you with candy, I say.”, I supposed you think that was witty and you are probably half right. :P

Posted by jet · November 1, 2004 01:53 AM

I went as a Florida presidential ballot; Sylvia’s dinosaur costume was rather more popular than mine but it did lead to a couple of interesting conversations. A lady around the corner was giving adults a leaflet about their rights at the polling place when she gave their kids Snickers ™. Linda had a rather clever costume, she was dressed up as a Nori roll — close to impossible to figure out on your own what it was but quite funny once you were told. She was trying to get everyone we met to guess.

Posted by Jeremy Osner · November 1, 2004 01:55 AM

pumpkin is supposed to be scary A pumpkin carved “W ‘04” is not an encouragement to vote for W in 04. It is a statement that for W to win in ‘04 is really scary.

This is worth noting down for anyone who has to give an introductory lecture course on Derrida, by the way. How would you go about carving a message into a pumpkin to indicate unambiguously that you supported W? If you were Osama bin Laden, how would you go about endorsing a Presidential candidate? etc etc.

Posted by dsquared · November 1, 2004 01:55 AM

When I were a lass, we used t’av to do turn for our halloween sweets: a bit ta dancing or a song or summit. Ant if ‘ouseholder dint like it, we got noth’n, an father wut slice oos int two wit carving knife.

Posted by Gillian Russell · November 1, 2004 05:06 AM

That’s a bit harsh, Kieran. Someone who supports W, the anti-free-trade, big government protectionist, is obviously in favour of handouts from the government, as long as they go to the right people!

Posted by McDuff · November 1, 2004 09:32 AM
Followups

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.