Costume Creativity

“It’s obscene!” Mrs. Hollingsworth cried. “Children should not be dressed as such things for Halloween!”

Jack’s mom did her best to suppress a smile. Being called away from work for a parent-teacher conference was no laughing matter, but she had to admit that the reason for this particular conference was rather ridiculous. She looked at Jack, who sat – now out of costume – in the desk to her left.

She never liked the way parent teacher conferences always involved the parent sitting in one of the tiny classroom desks, allowing the teacher to lecture them as if they were students. As Jack’s teacher droned on in the background, she found herself wondering if teachers held conferences this way on purpose to maintain their authority.

“He was going to participate in the school Halloween parade,” Mrs. Hollingsworth continued. “Dressed like that! Encouraging that behavior!”

“In all fairness,” Jack’s mom replied gently, trying to temper the educator’s outrage with an even, calm voice. “There are children dressed as vampires and werewolves and zombies. Are you also worried about encouraging students to drink blood or howl at the moon?”

“Those creatures are fictional,” Mrs. Hollingsworth snapped. “Your son chose to dress up as something very real ... and very troubling.”

“I don’t think anyone would mistake his costume for encouraging the real behavior, Mrs. Hollingsworth. I actually think his choice of costume shows remarkable creativity.”

Mrs. Hollingsworth harrumphed, dismissing the comment with a disapproving gaze at mother and child.

“This school prides itself on maintaining a certain decorum,” the elderly teacher persisted. “And Jack’s choice of Halloween costume this year is simply in bad taste. It’s inappropriate and promotes deviant behavior, just like all those television programs that feature them.”

“But he’s not even pretending to be a real one. And his costume isn’t unnecessarily graphic or obscene. It’s a play on words and is clearly meant as a joke.”

“I didn’t find it funny in the least,” Mrs. Hollingsworth retorted. “In fact, I think I’m going to have to confiscate his costume and send him home for the day to think about making more appropriate choices in the future.”

Jack’s mom shook her head in disgust.

“You know, Mrs. Hollingsworth,” she said as she handed over the components of her son’s costume. “Jack’s costume is ten times more original than the store-bought pirates and ninjas that are walking in that parade right now. It’s a pity he’s being punished for being unique.”

She stood and took Jack by the hand.

“Come on,” she said to her son. “Let’s go find you a more appropriate costume. Maybe a sheet with eye holes cut into it, so you can be a ghost.”

She glared at Mrs. Hollingsworth.

“That is, if the school doesn’t think it’s inappropriate to deface bedding.”

As Mrs. Hollingsworth stuffed the empty Cheerios box and fake, green plastic knife into the drawer of her desk, Jack’s mom stormed out of the room, hand in hand with her little cereal killer.



(500 words)