An American Halloween Tale of Two Families
On a recent drive I observed a few homes with the front yards strewn with deflated light-up ghosts, witches, Jack-o-lanterns, tarantulas, black cats, Frankenstein monsters and the like. Each is electrically powered with lights and fans that run from dawn to dusk. A few people even run them 24/7! I can’t imagine how much power is used by even one of these, much less a housing development full! The electric company must have them on a list of favorite customers! They live in a huge new home in a gated community, own two SUVs, an RV, and a mid-size fishing boat. Dad is a vice-principal in the public middle school. Mom is an HR officer for a busy law firm. They employ a cleaner and a landscaper. The children wear name-brand, new clothes, and everyone has his own closet full. Its the same with shoes, a pair for every occasion and for Mom, in a variety of colors. They are nice, pleasant people, the two kids do well in school, participate in the various sports and clubs the school has to offer. Most Sundays during the school year, they attend First Baptist Church as a family on Sunday morning. Right before bed, the younger child, a girl of nine, runs outside in her pajamas to see the Halloween decorations. She playfully squeals as she runs, shivering, between them like a ski slalom and leaps back inside, relishing the warmth. There’s a touch of irony in this scene, however.
There’s another family four miles away on the other side of town, sitting in a cold, darkened apartment in a sub-sub-sub divided, poorly maintained house. A mother and two children sit on dented folding chairs around a rickety table. They share a can of cold baked beans and each have half of an off-brand pop tart from Dollar General. The kids do their homework by flashlight and they’re all clad in outdoor winter clothes from Goodwill because Mom has been unable to pay the electric bill. She’s still working at Walmart, but Wendy’s closed and she’s waiting for the new DQ to open. She’s been guaranteed a job, but needs to wait out the week. When dinner is finished, the empty cans and paper plates dumped in the trash, the three spoons thrown in the bathroom sink (the only sink in the apartment) for washing later with cold water, Mom settles down on the slightly shopworn couch and contents herself scrolling away on her up to date iPhone. She needs one for jobs, for finding new jobs, and for filing forms for the various government benefits on which the family depends. One of those benefits is the subsidized iPhone itself, regularly upgraded to handle the necessary apps for the kids’ school and healthcare. The older of the two children, a girl of 13, also has a phone, not as fancy as Mom’s, paid for by her father whom she sees ever other Sunday. The younger child, a boy, has a Chromebook on loan from school, but it’s not much fun since it’s set up for only schoolwork and educational games. Mom tires of the evening squabbles over her daughter’s phone. Her son wants to play video games of which she doesn’t approve. But most of the time he gets his way for an hour while his sister sulks. Mom is too tired to argue. Besides, it’s dark early now and the house is cold. May as well crawl into bed. Only ten more nights and they should have power again. This family are also pleasant people. Despite the squabbling over the phone, the children mostly get along. They have friends at school and the daughter especially excels in music class, her teacher having convinced her to join the small singing group that practices at lunchtime three days per week. Despite uneven attendance and occasional undone homework, both children’s grades are solidly average. They keep pretty much to themselves at home because the neighborhood has a problem with crime and all sorts of people come and go. On rare occasion, if Mom isn’t working and the weather is fine, they walk on Sundays to the mega-church, Winslow St. Fellowship Center. The music ministry is top-notch, sermons about Christian character traits, short, to the point, easy to understand. There’s Sunday school classes for all ages, and free brunch to which everyone is invited. Those who want to donate, fine, but if you can’t, that’s fine, too. Nobody has to know because it’s done online. The kids often see friends from school in attendance and one teacher from the elementary school plays the guitar. Clothing is casual, come as you wish, jeans or suit, it doesn’t matter. BTW, there are no Halloween decorations at the family’s home. When it’s closer, the kids will make some paper decorations to tape in the window. The church will have the Bible character dress up for the little kids and for the adults, the Fall Festival. There’s always a concert and games especially for the teens. Hopefully, the kids will be able to get a ride with someone from school since Mom will be back to two jobs.
Readers, what is wrong with this picture? What is right? How would these families be received at your chapel? After all, Halloween is the Vigil of All Saints Day!
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