About 25 to 35 years ago Halloween was my favorite holiday. I rented costumes and created a few of my own. Due to the fact I live in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, I thought it would be really great to be the Philly Phanatic. I went to THE leading costume rental store in Philadelphia. I spoke with the manager. He said he would see what he could do. He asked me to wait a few days. About 3 or 4 days later I got a message on my answering machine telling me something about "the image the Philly Phanatic projects" and how much the Phillies want to protect that image. The message went on to say something about due to the fact the Philadelphia Phillies don't know how I'm going to act or what I'm going to do, the management of the Philadelphia Phillies regretted they couldn't do it. Not to be deterred or discouraged, I went to another store to look for a suitable costume. BINGO! There it was: Sunshine yellow with a TON of yellow "feathers". The costume which caught my eye was a pretty good replica of Big Bird. (((Little did I know what I got myself into.))) Halloween late-afternoon came. I donned the costume. The previous day I spoke with my daughter and I told her to expect A BIG surprise. I was on my way to pick her up. I realized I didn't have any film for the camera. Just for the heck of it I decided to get dressed and go into a major department store dressed in the complete "Big Bird" costume. No sooner did I enter that store when I was MOBBED by about 15 little children AND their parents. That's when I realized the huge error in timing I made. Through the store word "spread like wildfire". I THINK someone made an announcement similar to, "Attention shoppers! Big Bird is here in _____! Come and see Big Bird in the photo department!" MORE children AND their parents FLOCKED to the photo department! Pictures were taken. Children were hanging all over me. The parents had GREAT BIG smiles and a lot of laughter! I was in that store AT LEAST 30 minutes! I tried paying for the film, but someone told the cashier not to take any money from me. I guess the parents bought enough film to cover the cost of one or two rolls. On the way out the door the security guard said to me, "I don't know who you are or what your real purpose for coming into our store was, but let me telol you, you SURE brought A LOT of happiness here tonight! What made you do it? Without a second thought I said, "You have to stop and smell the roses sometime. I had a great time here. I'm late. My daughter isn't going to be very happy Daddy's late. If you'll excuse me, I have to go." I arrived at my ex's apartment about 10 minutes later. My daughter was SOOOOOOO happy about Daddy's BIG surprise". We went to my neighborhood so she could do her "trick-or-treating". Once again, I was mobbed by the children and their parents. Everyone had a GREAT time! Later that evening I went to a Halloween party. It was ALL adults. I was asked by quite a few folks to come to their homes and let their children see what Big Bird looked like - for real. I graciously declined. On other Halloweens I dressed as a pirate, a slave, a gorilla, a cowboy, and A REAL SCARY ghost. No matter what I dressed as or where I went, each and every Halloween I had a great time! With the exception of funerals, I have great times no matter where I go or what I do. Why? Because I'm where I want to be, doing the things I like to do, with the folks I enjoy being with. Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it! VTY, Ron Berue Yes, that is my real last name! Sources: A little stroll down "Memory Lane". "THE University of Hard Knocks" Also known as ("a/k/a") "life's valuable lessons".