The King of Halloween



The King of Halloween

By Tina Connolly

(from Highlights for Children, 10-01-2009)

It was almost Halloween, and Mom wanted José to decide on a costume. "What about a ghost?" she asked. "I have a ratty old sheet I can cut holes in.*

"No way," said José. "Michael's going as a ghost. I want to be different."

"A dog?" asked Mom.

"Emma's going as a dog," said José.

"A cat?" asked Mom.

"Rachel," said José.

"A mouse?" asked Mom.

"Tom, Julio, and Lisa," said José. "I want something different!"

"I don't know what else to say," said Mom. Go ask your sisters for suggestions."

José trudged upstairs to his sisters' bedroom.

"What about a handsome king?" asked his big sister. "Ill make you a crown to wear. You'll be sooo cute."

His little sister held out her drooly teddy bear. "Be a bear!"

"Blake's going as a king, and Chantal's going as a bear," said José.

He trudged down to the kitchen, where Dad was grilling an onion-and-pepper sandwich.

"Want some?" asked Dad. He flipped the sandwich with a spatula.

"No, thanks," said José.

Dad grinned. "More for me." He slid the sandwich onto a plate. "So what's on your mind?"

"I have a serious Halloween problem," said José. "My friends have already taken all the normal costumes."

Dad took a big bite of his onion-and pepper sandwich. "Go as a cook," he said. "Nothing better than a cook."

"Alice is going as a cook," said José.

José went to his room. How was he going to come up with a costume that nobody else had?

And then he had an idea.

He went to find Mom. "I'm sorry I was grumpy. Will you help me make a ghost sheet?"

"Of course," said Mom.

José went to his sisters' bedroom. "A king is a good idea. Will you help me make a crown?"

"Sure thing," said his big sister.

"And you can help me color it," he said to his little sister.

"Red!" she said.

Finally, José went to Dad. "May I borrow your spatula for my costume?"

"What's your costume?" asked Dad. "Are you going to use my idea?"

"You'll see," said José.

José worked on his costume with everybody. He held the sheet while Mom cut the holes. He helped his sisters decorate his crown.

When Halloween came, José put on the ghost sheet. He put the crown on his head. Then he picked up Dad's spatula.

When he came downstairs, everybody laughed. "What are you supposed to be?" asked Mom.

José held out his spatula proudly. "I'm the ghost of a king who ate too many onion-and-pepper sandwiches," he said. "Nobody will be dressed like me."

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