Do you remember when it was safe to trick or treat in Pearl City? That was a long time ago. I can recall the long lines at each house in the neighborhood as we waited for our turn to collect a treat. We would actually wait in a long line! There were lots of kids all over the place. The PC streets were packed. You had to move fast, stash your candy and dig out to the next house.
Our parents really didn’t have to worry about someone slipping us something other than a candy treat or swiping us off the street never to be seen again. Now, that’s not to say that it didn’t happen back in the day, but it wasn’t as much as a threat as it is today.
Yes, my mother still went through our candy just in case, tossing the loosely wrapped pieces or the homemade stuff(unless she knew whose mom made it of course). Well, actually sometimes the homemade stuff, like the candy popcorn balls wrapped in foil never made it home. That was used as ammo for the walk home. The foil really messed you up. Man, those were the good old days.
How about receiving oranges or apples as a treat? Now that had to go. Too heavy and took up valuable space in our trick or treat pillow cases. Oh, how about candy apples? It was rare that you got one but it was gold when you did. We didn’t tell mom, we just grinded them. We figured anybody nice enough to take the time to make candy apples was cool. I would like to apologize to my mother for my error in judgment.
I can also remember sprinting through Highlands Intermediate School and cutting through the Pearl City Community Recreation Center parking lot to get home on time.
Okay, if you’re a baby boomer like me, you’ll remember this stuff:
wax harmonicas, wax candy lips, wax juice tubes(we would chew it all night until our silver fillings came out), Tootsie Pops(the only loosely wrapped candy we were allowed to eat), Snickers, Three Muskateers, Baby Ruth(the real size candy bars), Candy Cigarettes that came in a pack(huge no no today), Candy corn(big bag).
Well guys, that was just about 40 years ago. (whoa!)
Here’s a safe and fun alternative for Halloween night in Pearl City. The Pearl City Foundation and Pearl City Community Association would like to invite you to bring your keiki to the Momilani Community Center “Halloween Bash” on October 31st from 6:00pm-8:30pm. There will treats for the keiki and fun activities too.
Momilani Community Center is located at: 715 Hoomoana Street, Pearl City, Hi 96782
For more information contact Breene at: 225-0368
Have a great day and hope to see you at the Halloween Bash!
Mahalo Nui Loa,
Barry A.Villamil