The Halloween House

Strange and Bizarre

When I was living in Bedford, New Hampshire, up on Heck’s Hill, we had neighbors who celebrated Halloween year round.  I’m not kidding.  At their house, it was Halloween 365 days a year.

They moved in on a Saturday in September and the following week, the house was newly painted pumpkin orange. A coffin had been partially buried in their front lawn, with an arm holding the lid half open.

Like most of us decorate for the Christmas holidays, our neighbors’ home was perpetually lit up, year round, with orange string lights along the roof line, the porch and railings, and around the lamp post in front, which had an orange light bulb glowing at night.

I kid you not, that first Halloween was shocking with one of the most bizarre events I had ever witnessed. The couple got married at dusk in their side yard in front of a wishing well, also strung with orange lights.

The handsome groom was dressed as a perfectly suited Dracula, complete with white makeup, black tux, a black cape with a red lining, and droplets of fake (I hope) “blood” on his chin and down the front of his white shirt.

The bride was gorgeous in a Victorian-style antique wedding gown right out of a “Bride of Frankenstein” sort of movie. Her face was made up completely white with black lipstick and black shading around her eyes. She also had “blood” droplets on her chin and down the front of her wedding gown.

Then the guests and minister arrived —all of them in Halloween costumes. I’m telling you, it was totally bizarre.

I always wondered whether they first met at a Halloween party and that’s where the odd fascination came from, but I never knew. They were unusually private people and they kept to themselves.

They were probably very nice, but as far as I know, no one ever got to really know them, only their three black cats. They were usually on the front porch, or in the yard, and everyone in the neighborhood had to be extra careful not to run over them at night.

Or let them cross the road in front of you … why tempt fate?

Published Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018
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