Slim called me this morning on my portable cellular phone well before I had even thought about a visit to The Flat Rock General Store. He had given me an assignment concerning The Store, its annual Halloween party and costume contest judging.

It was a standing assignment for now on a dozen or more years and I was well aware of my duties. I was, in Slim’s words, to get, obtain, find, ask, have available, three fair and impartial judges for The Store’s annual Halloween party costume contest judging. ’Course Halloween being near four weeks away, I had contacted no fair and impartial judges to date. The Store event is always held on the Saturday shy of October thirty-first or Halloween; in this instance it would be held on October twenty-ninth of ought five.

Like any event down at The Store, there would be an eatin’ startin’ at six o’clock in the evening for all community and area Flat Rock folk. There would be music during and after supper provided by Harley Hood and friends. Following this, Slim, The Store proprietor and host, would tell some of his witchingly ghost and goblin tales. The Store’s Halloween costume contest judging would follow with the awarding of prizes to the top four places. The night would conclude with candy and favors for all those Flat Rock kids present.

As I finished my talk with Slim about plans for The Store’s ought five Halloween party on my portable cellular phone, my thoughts turned to my memories of the ought four event and costumes worn by some of The Store regulars. Most of the costumes worn by the regulars related to people in the political, religious, or entertainment fields.

Course they were not eligible for the judging, but Slim and Ms. Essex were dressed as President George one and Barbara Bush. Being several pounds heavier than George one, Slim bore no likeness to George one but Ms. Essex carried a close resemblance, with white hair and similar stature to Barbara. Farlow and Willerdean Wedge were costumed as President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski, quiet a popular pair with all the Flat Rock Folk attending. The "love birds," "Truth" and Estelle, came as Mickey and Minnie Mouse and they were very poplar with all the Flat Rock kids. Bro. was dressed as Reverend Billy Graham, Ms. Ida as Oprah and the widow Cora came as Martha Stewart complete with leg iron, by far the biggest hit of the night in ought four. S.R. was in full Mossy Oak camouflage, costumed as "spirit of the wild" hunter Ted Nugent, J.R. was dressed as NASCAR’s Tony Stewart and "Hatch" as his favorite driver, Dale little "E." ’Course the music maker, Harley Hood, was dressed as his idol, Elvis.

I think all told there were six or seven Elvises, several different hunters, more NASCAR drivers and lots of other community folk just came as themselves to eat and enjoy the festivities. There were bunches of little ghost and goblins, a few Big Birds, some Darth Vaders and Captain Curtis, one Big Al and lots of Aubies.

I suppose there will be lots of similar costumed characters in the coming up ought five annual Halloween event down at The Store. If nothing else, there will be lots of fun, some good eatin’ and Slim’s witchingly ghost and goblin stories to entertain us.

I have other special memories of Halloween through the years. One that always comes to mind is my first grade Halloween carnival and costume contest at Hatton Elementary School.

My costume was totally black with a skelton outline and skelton face. I won first place in the judging that night and received a brand new billfold. When I opened the billfold, inside was a new one dollar bill, lots of money for a six-year-old farm boy from Flat Rock. To this day that is still a very special Halloween memory for me. However, through the years there are other memories of my two sons, and even a few of the grandkids.

PLEASE BE SAFE,
WATCH OUT
FOR ALL THE LITTLE
GHOSTS, GOBLINS AND
DARTH VADERS IN YOUR
TOWN, CITY
OR COMMUNITY
AND HAVE A —
SPOOKTACULAR
HALLOWEEN!!!

REMEMBER YOUR
HERITAGE!!!
ALWAYS THINK
GOOD MEMORIES!!!
JOE

Joe Potter is a former vocational agriculture teacher, FFA advisor, retired county agent (Colbert County) for Auburn University and is currently regional sales manager for the Wax Company of Amory, MS. His book, Farm Fresh Memories, is available for $15.00 plus shipping; order by phone at 256-332-0676 or email joepotter50@msn.com.