Halloween, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1965

The Powder Blue Tuxedo Boys: October 21, 2023

Halloween, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1965
The Powder Blue Tuxedo Boys. October 21, 2023

It is Halloween in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1965. Patrick and Timothy are 13-year-olds and anxious to go out there and get that candy in the neighborhood. It is a fairly warm night of 65F and a half-moon is bright in the sky.

Patrick and Timothy have met up at Patrick’s parent’s house near Sheridan Boulevard as that is where the rich folk live with the most candy.

Timothy: Patrick, remind me again why we are dressed up in these powder blue tuxedos to go trick-or-treating.

Patrick: Because that Levon kid was giving us shit at school today in his powder blue suit. As if that’s a costume. He looks like he wants to be a pimp when he grows up.

Timothy: So powder blue tuxedos are better?

Patrick: It will drive Levon crazy. We outdid his act and he’ll be there on Sheridan Boulevard trick-or-treating sure as shit attracts flies.

Timothy: Suddenly Baby Ruth candy bars aren’t as appetizing.

Patrick: Grab your grocery bag and let’s get out there on the boulevard before all the candy is gone.

The boys in their powder blue tuxedos go out into the soft moonlight and head up the brick-paved Sheridan Boulevard. They go from mansion to mansion collecting bags of candy.

A man opens a mansion’s door:

Man: Who the hell are you two tuxedo boys supposed to be?

Patrick: We’re your daughter’s high school prom dates.

Timothy: Yeah, and it doesn’t turn out well so trick-or-treat.

Man hands over lots of candy.

The boys continue along the boulevard and their sacks get heavy.

Patrick: Time to head home. Best not to push our luck.

Just as the boys reach the sidewalk there is Levon in his powder blue suit.

Levon: You little pricks! Every house I go to says, “The boys in the blue tuxedos looked better than you.” And they give me shit for candy.

Timothy: You mean Baby Ruths?

Levon (in a sarcastic tone): Oh, that’s funny. Maybe I will stick a Baby Ruth up your ass!

Patrick: Levon, calm down.

Levon: My big brother Leroy is just up the street. I’ll call him over here.

Timothy: Now, don’t do anything rash.

Patrick: How many Baby Ruths do you want? (“Up your ass.” sotto voce).

Levon grabs both Timothy and Patrick’s bags of candy and heads up Sheridan Boulevard.

Timothy and Patrick watch Levon walk away and see Big Leroy fifty yards up the sidewalk.

Timothy: Well, that was a great costume choice.

Patrick: I can’t foresee everything.

Timothy: I do kinda like the powder blue tuxedo look though.

Patrick: Yeah, I do, too. Maybe chicks will dig it.

The two 13-year-old boys walk back home empty-handed under the half-moon.

TJM