Trick or Treat :: An American Love Story

In August 1974, my family and I landed on American soil. Bakersfield is where we would settle and I started public elementary school in Bakersfield. First Seibert, then Stine. And eventually onto Actis Jr. High then West High.

Those early months in America were a culture shock. I wasn't in Seoul, Korea anymore! Lots of challenges and tears ... and lots of goodness and love. In the month of October, just two months into American life, I was told that if I put on a costume and went door to door, I'd be given free candy. And that's exactly what I did with my two older brothers. Every door we went to, we were greeted by delightful people who gifted me with milky ways, snickers, tootsie rolls, suckers, smarties, jolly ranchers, and on and on.

Most of the night, we just followed a group of American kids and piggy backed on their utterances of "trick or treat" and just opened our bags. But at one point we got separated from that group and when my brothers and I went to a door and rang the doorbell, the adult who came to the door said "What do you say?" My brother Jinil and I were speechless. We hardly spoke English and we didn't know what to say. But my oldest brother Jim must have taken note, because somehow, he pulled those syllables out of thin air and said "tttt-rrrick ohhhrrrr ttt rrreee ttt." And the candy came, with smiles and wishes for a Happy Halloween.

It's the night when I proclaimed: "I love America."

I love America still. I love the magnificently diverse stories that make up this land. And I think that in spite of the differences we have, it's through telling my story with honesty and transparency that I continue to develop bridges of friendship with people. And it's when I actively listen (rather than dismiss) the stories that others are willing to tell (no matter how different they are to mine), that those bridges become strong pillars of peace and understanding.

Wishing everyone a happy Halloween. If you want to.
Love,
Jenny (aka skeleton cat girl)

EDIT: Photo above from October 31, 2016. Photo below from October 31, 2017.

Comments

[Crisynda Buss]

I love your story. So heartfelt. I may dress up next year which is something I gave up when I scared the living day lights out of children when I was a very green faced witch.