Halloween Hangover

A grade school aged con artist set me up for Halloween problems. It started when her grandmother held one of the best garage sales I've ever seen. Grandma worked day and night for days to get everything out, and I scored big time, finding some excellent cold weather clothes for great prices. I went back several times. After buying a bunch of dahlias at the farmers' market, I returned again to buy vases.

The little scamster insisted I buy a plastic jack-o-lantern to serve Halloween treats in. I repeatedly said no until I was out of breath, and she kept insisting a lot of kids would trick-or-treat this neighborhood. Finally, I forked over two quarters for the ugly thing. Remembering a previous late trip to the store for Halloween candy and finding only gum, jelly beans and bears, I filled the plastic monstrosity up weeks in advance. This year I would be ready.

I immediately began to dip into the stash. The bag I bought was enough to refill it once, but when the level dropped again, I used precious food stamps for another bag. Then no one rang my door bell on Halloween. Where were the political operatives, who had been at my door so often? I would have given them candy. I have no choice except to eat the leftovers, even though I've already wrecked my blood sugar, and there is no hangover like a sugar hangover.

Sugar is a dangerous drug and devious, hiding everywhere in our daily diets. Start reading ingredients lists, and you will find it everywhere. Don't be misled by other names for it (i.e. dextrose, fructose). You could lose your mind trying to eliminate it from your diet. I've tried and given up, because I don't have a lick of willpower to resist temptation. I often tried to discipline my mother about diet, as diabetes killed her, and she ignored her doctor and me. I was a hypocrite, because I couldn't and still can't resist chocolate in any form.

Here I languish, belly sagging, in a mound of candy wrappers, and the damned pumpkin is still half full.