The Gypsy Lady

Costumes, candy, jack o'lanterns, and Aunt Ginny's popcorn balls. Growing up in Little Town meant not having to worry about razor blades in apples or rat poison in the candy. If the porch light was on, we were knocking on the door with "TRICK OR TREAT!" Rarely did we get tricked but it was always more fun when the adult opening the door was dressed in costume.

We used to have carnivals to celebrate the arrival of the fall season and Halloween. A street was blocked off by the courthouse. Local clubs and organizations would set up booths that included the cake walk, a haunted house and even a gypsy reading futures of fortune of fame. There was a costume parade in which prizes were given for various types of costumes. My mother made me a bat costume one year and that was as close as I got to being a vampire.

One year I was extremely intrigued by the gypsy lady who was set up in a very colorful tent. She had the most beautiful black hair pulled in a bun and natural olive skin. She wore a long red dress with long sleeves. On her fingers were rings of many sizes -- some with stones that glistened when she moved her hands over her crystal ball. She wore big gold hoop earrings and dark makeup on her eyes. The red lipstick she wore could only look so pretty on a real gypsy.

I stood in line for quite a while waiting my turn to hear what the gypsy could tell me about my future. As I stepped into the tent, I was enchanted by the smell of sandlewood incense. The gypsy smiled as she took my hands. She "read" my palms and talked about my life line. She knew my name. She knew how many siblings I had. She knew my birthday. She knew how I got the scar on my arm. Her voice was mesmermizing as she told me that I would destined for great things in life. She encouraged me to study hard and be a good person at all times. It was important for me to heed her advice because it was the key to my good fortune which was on the horizon.

As Mama was driving my siblings and me home, we all discussed our favorite part of the carnival. Marshall liked the ring toss and Holli liked the cake walk (she won a chocolate cake). I was bubbling with excitement about the gypsy. I kept asking Mama, "You believe she was real, don't you?" Mama knowingly smiled and said, "Yes, Robin. She is very real."

After the sugar rush subsided from all the candy we had eaten and good-nights were being said, Mama whispered to me, "Don't forget to be a good person at all times." It dawned on me then that my mother was the beautiful gypsy lady. We still have a good laugh about that carnival and how she pulled the best "trick" of all on me.