Pumpkin Seeds

I grew up in the late 70's/early 80's just as all the Halloween Candy scares began to smother what used to be a ton of fun for neighborhood kids, one night a year.

I don't remember crowded streets on Halloween night, such as what was depicted in the movie E.T., but our streets were pretty busy. Busy enough, that in later years, MOM didn't have to take us out, and we all looked after one and other. We knew our boundries and what houses to avoid and how long we could stay out before having to come home to check in and drop off some of the loot from our heavy pillowcases.

I don't remember really having to have my candy checked before eating it, but I know my little sister did in her final years of trick-or-treating. I remember making a final stop at Grandma and Grandpa's house to show off our cosutmes and TONS of candy, while awaiting a special treat.

I remember eating most of the GOOD STUFF before a VERY LATE bedtime, while the cheap candy seemed to last forever.

I remember running smack into a thick strong wire, anchoring a new tree when I was Lil' Miss' age. In the dark. Across my neck. Feeling totally unable to breathe. Cursing out loud for the first time in front of MOM.

I remember my older sister and her hoodlum friends stealing bags of candy from younger, unattended kids. I remember me being the reason she got caught and grounded by MOM. And her hating me.

I remember MOM and Grandma trying to make Kim and I look as much like Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, even though we couldn't afford the actual costumes. I remember having to explain who Electra Woman and Dyna Girl were to EVERY adult. And why "our" versions had me (the blonde) playing DG, while Kim (the brunette) played EW, which was backwards. And hating that.

I remember big Halloween Parties at school, followed by a HUGE parade of costumes on the blacktop by all the students who had worn their costumes to school. No matter how scary they were.

And I remember the excitement of scooping out the guts of our pumpkins, to see who would have the most pumpkin seeds to roast. This was by far, one of the greatest treats of Halloween, no matter how old I got. I just assumed EVERYONE did this.

Until four years ago, when I left Glenn and his mom in charge of the jack 'o lantern carvings while I got Lil' Miss ready for her FIRST trick-or-treating experience.

When the dust had settled that night, I asked about the pumpkin seeds and did we have a lot this year? I was looked at like I was crazy or speaking a foreign language. I explained again, "You know...the seeds INSIDE the raw pumpkin...did we have a lot?" "Dunno, we threw all that away."

That rang through my head with great confusion as I pondered whether they were pulling my leg, or had really THROWN AWAY THE BEST PART OF HALLOWEEN!!!! Nope, the seeds were history. They had never heard of saving the seeds and roasting them.

OK, I may have grown up in California, and not the backwoods, hilly-billy parts of rural Texas and Arkansas, but surely they had seen pumpkin seeds sold in the stores next to sunflower seeds, right? Yeah, but they didn't realize they actually came from the insides of pumpkins.

WHAT? OMG! They were dead serious. And I was out of luck.

Not to be robbed of my pumpkin seeds that year, I went out and bought more pumpkins, and then taught them how to save, clean and prepare the seeds. It was "interesting" to be sure.

And just another reason why I love Glenn and his mom as much as I do. They're great.... FUN!!!