A Pirate Raccoon, The Halloween Story - 2012

A Pirate Raccoon

Part 1

No. 216

October 11, 2012

“I don’t want to wear it,” said Riley

His mom turned from the bowl of candy she was preparing. “You don’t want to wear the dinosaur costume I made for you?”

“Nope,” said Riley with his arms crossed firmly.

Mom sighed. “I spent a month on this. Why didn’t you tell me that you didn’t like it before?”

Riley shrugged. “Dunno.”

“What do you want, then?”

Riley didn’t hesitate to answer. “I want to be a pirate raccoon,” he said with a decided finality.

“What?”

“A pirate raccoon.”

Mom’s perplexed look turned into something more annoyed. “You’ve already got a costume and I don’t even know what a pirate raccoon is.” She picked up the unwanted suit and examined it. Perhaps she could solve this problem.

She softened her stance. “I guess I can turn it into a lizard, or if I work really fast, maybe a turtle.”

“Pirate raccoon,” Riley demanded, stamping his feet for emphasis.

This was when Mom made her stand. “That’s just not going to happen. Come on, if we’re going to go out tonight you’re going to have to choose something I can make. Or be a tyrannosaurus. You’ve got two minutes to make up your mind or nobody goes trick-or-treating.”

Part 2

No. 230

October 31, 2012

Riley hit the floor and went limp in protest.

“Fine,” said Mom. “If that’s how you’re going to act, I’ll leave without you. I won’t share my candy, either.”

One of Riley’s eyes opened.

Mom threw on her coat and stepped toward the door.

Riley’s other eye opened. They were both very wide, now, but he didn’t get up yet. Maybe there was still a chance his mom was bluffing.

She on her boots and put her hand on the doorknob. “Goodnight, Riley,” she said as she began to turn it.

Riley recovered quickly. “I can be a dinosaur,” he said, his demeanor suddenly cheery.  

“Good,” said Mom. “Because that’s the costume you’ve got.”

She helped her son into the green jumpsuit, complete with stuffed head and tail. His face peered out from behind large, felt teeth. “I’m ready,” he declared.

“Are you sure?” Mom asked him. “You aren’t forgetting anything? Maybe your treat-bag?”

“Oh yeah!” he exclaimed.

“Here you go,” said Mom as she handed it over.

Riley was all set to go out and seemed to have forgotten that he hadn’t wanted to be a t-rex. Now he waited impatiently in the entry way for Mom to put the finishing touches on her costume. When she was done, they left the house together.

As they joined the stream of ghosts, goblins, princesses, and superheroes who were already on the sidewalk, Riley turned to his mom and asked her an important question.

“Can I be a pirate raccoon next year?”

Mom smiled. “Yes, you can. As long as you don’t change your mind.”