"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Boo Hoo

Sometimes, I take things a little too personally. A random comment (or lack of comment) can leave me deflated for days. Perhaps the person totally did not mean it that way; it's just my low self-esteem filling in the blanks. I'll mope around, eat a little too much chocolate, and just generally feel sorry for myself and the wretch that I've become, while the person - or as I like to refer to them, the super big meanie dummy head - had no clue that anything is other than as it should be.

Anyway...

Our family moved to this lovely community seven years ago. The following autumn, I started a fun little game. You might have heard of it. It's call a Boo. Or a Halloween Phantom. I'd print up a cutesy poem explaining that they had just been "boo'd" and now it was their turn to find another family to give anonymous treats to, thereby spreading the fun and calories around. The first year, I really made an effort. I got a trick-or-treating bucket, filled it with candy, homemade cookies, and a couple decorations. I cackled with glee every time I passed that house and saw the little ghost in the window, indicating that the house had already been boo'd. More of those little ghosts began to haunt the neighborhood! It was really cool to see my game spread. However, I couldn't help but notice, when skeletons were reburied in storage and the sugar buzz wore off, we didn't get a ghost.

The next year, I sent around two buckets, slightly toned down, as it might be intimidating to continue my awesomeness. Our neighborhood was growing and there were more people to share in my game. Same poem, same picture. Same results. Nobody boo'd us.

I carried on the tradition for two more years, always secretly hoping that every after-dark ring of the door bell would bring a ghost bearing a plate of goodies. It gets hard. The rejection starts to get personal when it happens so many years in a row. I wondered why we were never picked (was I too short? maybe too awesome? were we really part of some form of the Truman Show and my little game wasn't figured into the script and no one was allowed to contact us?). So I stopped. The past two years, I didn't try. I saw ghosts going up in windows so I knew someone else had picked up the torch, but they didn't pick us.

Tuesday night, it came: an almost-bedtime ring of the doorbell. A tinfoil covered plate of love sitting on our steps, with instructions on how to continue the game. I tried not to cry. It was finally my turn, like being asked to sit with the cool kids at lunch. Such a small thing, really. Nothing that would ruffle anyone else's feathers but to me...that ghost in my window is like a seal of approval that I've applied for year after year and was denied. But not this year.

19 comments:

Kristina P. said...

That's great! I've never Booed or been Booed. Boo. :(

Jessica said...

Now I'm worried that my comment was the one that made you feel bad. If it was, I'm so sorry!

Our neighborhood hasn't done Boos this year. Not sure why. Do you think it's too late to start one now?

Kristie said...

Awesome! You KNOW that if I lived close I would boo you for sure every year!!!! :) You are one of the coolest people I know!! Love you lots Jess! I am glad that you got boo-ed this year!

Janell said...

Confession. When I was living in apartments, some people tried the, "Boo," game out. I looked at it, assessed my ethics on the situation, took one of the cookies, moved the plate over to the next door over, and attached the sign to their door...

Mellisa said...

I am so very glad that you were Boo-ed this year...I would have been quite grumpy over being skipped, especially as the starter!

Just SO said...

There have been a couple of years where we've been booed but never got around to passing on the love. I have guilt. This year we actually got it together and passed on the love. I'm glad you finally got booed.

Nat said...

Congratulations! Was it you who boo'd us six years ago? We decided to "Boo" our nieces and nephews who were living in different states. It was a lot of fun...even though a package in the mail can't be completely annonymous!

Maybe I'll start that in our awesome neighborhood. It might be fun to see if any other ghosts pop up in the windows. What was the poem?

Mary said...

I know exactly how you feel. No matter what ward my family lived in (we moved a lot), we were never boo'd or picked for the 12 days of Christmas...and as an adult, that tradition continues. (as an adult I blame myself...I don't really associate with many people from church...and I think these traditions are a strictly Mormon thing)

But no worries, as soon as hubby retires from the Army and we make our way to Utah (only 7 yrs left), I'm sure you'll find me in your bushes spying on you with my night vision and camo paint...or my muddy footprints in your kitchen as I skim through your cook books :o)

I love ya girlie!

Tim and Angie said...

If it helps, I've never been picked either. I'm glad you got some goodies and love. I bet the kids loved it too!

rocslinger said...

I understand how you feel. I myself am a background guy. I keep a low profile and because of it I often don't get noticed. a few years ago our bishop started a dish that got passed around our ward. I felt good that we got the dish three times. I think it was my wife and daughter that people remembered though.

Annette Lyon said...

Oh, MAN, do I relate to this post. To the point of tearing up at the end.

Anonymous said...

I would Boo you any day of the week, you know your are great and don't forget it and if you do call me and I will remind you!!! xoxo Jen Chadwick

Robyn said...

Funny story, we got booed tonight, and my kids were saying who they wanted to do it to, and for reals they wanted to do you!!I said, sure I know just what to get them, Chocolate!! How crazy is that!!Guess we will have to find another one to Boo, watch out Angie!!:) Or you could just not put up the sign and double dip!!:) Glad you finally got Booed!!

Joy said...

I know exactly how you feel. I always feel like the loser teenager trying to fit it with the cool kids. We have never been boo'd. Probably never will be since we are not in the "cool kid" neighborhood. I'm glad you finally got your "just desserts"

Debi said...

I enjoyed reading your blog post....you have such a great way with words, a wonderful ability to put a feeling down on paper. You have so many talents and abilities that are above and beyond the average. You are a special person. Try to remember that. (and hey, I feel sorry for that little bee that keeps flapping her wings over there under your 94 followers. I think she is on your way to your house with a little halloween treat package and can't seem to figure out how to slow down! Come to think of it... Jessie, you have 94 followers! It shouldn't matter if you get boo'd...you've got FRIENDS galore!)

Stacy Q said...

I've gotten stung by leaving what I thought was a helpful comment and finding later it was helpful, it was very PAINFUL and the blogger now HATES ME and the very AIR I BREATHE. So on behalf of all the stupid I-was-only-trying-to-help commentors, I apologize.

I hate the Boo.... If we do get Boo'ed, we're always the LAST ones, and everyone I know with kids or a sense of humor within a 2 mile radius already has the "Been Boo'ed" paper up.

Stacy Q said...

Where's the "Edit" button?!? I meant to say I found later my comment was HURTFUL (not helpful) despite my best intentions. By the way I don't THINK it was me you were talking about and I don't think I hurt YOUR feelings, I'm just apologizing in General. Because I'm still stinging from having inadvertently opened an oozing sore in someone's heart. So I'm just Generally Sorry that Someone (probably not me) might have at some point hurt you.

And I don't hate the Boo because I'm a stick in the mud, I just hate the Boo Guilt that I cannot pass the Boo Love because I'm last on the Boo List.

Stacy Q said...

Where's the "Edit" button?!? I meant to say I found later my comment was HURTFUL (not helpful) despite my best intentions. By the way I don't THINK it was me you were talking about and I don't think I hurt YOUR feelings, I'm just apologizing in General. Because I'm still stinging from having inadvertently opened an oozing sore in someone's heart. So I'm just Generally Sorry that Someone (probably not me) might have at some point hurt you.

And I don't hate the Boo because I'm a stick in the mud, I just hate the Boo Guilt that I cannot pass the Boo Love because I'm last on the Boo List.

Stacy Q said...

DANG IT! I cannot get this right! My screen froze and then my comment showed up twice! (Hangs head in shame.)
Let's see... how can I work this in my favor so you don't think you're being cyber stalked by me or something...

OOH! Look at all the pretty comments you have!

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