I didn't stay away from the store for long. First of all, I needed the money. Second, Mom wasn't going to give me any money if I wasn't working. And third, I had no desire to work anywhere else.
Halloween was always fun at the store. I never had to worry about what I was wearing because my costume was usually the mildest costume compared to all the ladies.
"Who wants a milkshake," I hollered as I entered the store with five chocolate milkshakes.
"Is that your costume? What are you?" asked Ruthie.
"I'm a nurse," I said.
"A nurse? You have on a dress and a white coat. Where's the blood? Where's the scary?"
"She looks fine," said Betsy, coming to my rescue. "You need a hat."
"It's in my bag. What are you Betsy?"
"Can't you tell?" She asked. She was wearing what looked like her pajamas. "I'm a housewife."
Mom came out from the back office and had on her witch costume. She had two costumes and she alternated them, a witch and a snow princess.
"Cricket, I'm glad you are here. Will you go up the ladder and hang the cobwebs?"
"I'm sure you've been waiting all day for me."
"We have!" Ruthie shouted.
"Miss Ruthie, what are you going to do next year when I'm gone?" I asked as I got out the ladder and started to climb.
"Gone? Where are you going?"
"To college."
"Bah! Who needs college? You don't need college. Why don't you just marry that sweet boy of yours and start having babies."
I could feel myself turning bright red and saw my mother looking at me to see what I would say. "I'm going to college. In fact I just received an application for the University of Texas. I want to study costume design."
"Costume design. Look at ya. You can't even design a decent Halloween outfit!" said Ruthie.
Coming to my rescue, Betsy said, "Now Ruthie, we all support Cricket going to college. We will find someone else to go up and down these ladders."
I looked at Mom dabbing her eyes.
The cowbell chimed and children entered the store shouting, "Trick or Treat!"