When I was 11 or so, I dressed up as a ghost for Halloween. My ghost costume was an old sheet cut-down and sewed-up to make a kind of a robe, complete with arm holes and sleeves. For my head, I used an old pillow case. That, of course, made a point on the top of my head.

I didn't figure out that it was basically a KKK outfit until many years had passed. I'm surprised my parents didn't steer me away from it.

No KKK'ers came to our house this year - just a few princesses, an insect or two, and a couple of surly teenagers barely dressed up at all. Maybe five groups of kids, at the most, and it was all over by 7:30. Back in my day, we'd stay out until we couldn't find any more houses with their front porch lights on: 9:30 or 10:00 sometimes.

Sigh.