We retired to Victoria in 1980. I was VERY lonely..missing my prairie friends ALOT. My husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday in 1981 and I said"A trip to Watrous,Sask. for Halloween..by myself!"
I had so many many friends that I missed terribly PLUS I knew one woman was sewing SylvesterThePussyCat Costumes for her&her husband and her friend&herHusband for the BIG Halloween dance in that town. I got my ticket, rented a bunny rabbit costume from Elsa's (on Fernwood Ave/across from the Belfry!)..made my own face coverup ..I had to be COMPLETELY covered as everyone knew me so well. I flew to Regina, a friend drove me to the outskirts of Watrous, there a RCMP friend(my husband was head RCMP there before we retired) picked me up..took me to their home where I got dressed and he took me in the police car way out in the country to their Hallowe'en dance. He promised NOT TO LEAVE until he saw the Sylvester cats walk into the dance hall..THEY were my ride home as I would be staying at her place for a week (now THAT was another story! who has their home 'ready' for company!). I hopped (all night long and NOT saying one word until midnight!no easy task for me!)into the hall and looked around..recognized a fellow and his wife and hopped over to their table and sat beside him. He asked if he knew me..I nodded 'yes'... did I live here "no"...where did I live? "I spread my arms wide and waved to indicate far away".. would I like a drink? "shook my head yes"...he kept quizzing me..but he didn't find out who I was (I had been to their home many times!)
he had to get me a straw as I couldn't lift my mask as he might recognize me...My one mistake..I didn't buy something to keep my glasses from fogging up under the mask...AND I could only have that one drink as I wasn't getting enough oxygen!! Soooo now in walk the two little Sylvester cats..the wives!!! they go and sit down...(I'm the only one who knows who they are as she kept phoning me to tell me how great her sewing job was and that they would win first prize for sure!)...THEN in walk two taller Sylvester cats... they join the little cats!! I get up and hop hop hop across the hall and join them at their table...EVERYWHERE they went I hopped behind them...she was getting some ticked off with me as they have no idea who I am. She yelled "GET LOST..LEAVE ME ALONE"(they were really words not to be repeated!!)...I motioned that I wanted to dance with her.(they have no idea if I'm male or female at this point)..so she reluctantly obliged and then put her hands on my chest and yelled "OH NO...a woman"...that did it..NOW she really wanted NOTHING to do with me..but I kept hopping around with them ALL NIGHT LONG... finally it's midnight and the judges asked the people to parade in front of them and they would pick the best costume for the night. The pick of the evening was "The Four Sylvester Cats with an honourable mention to THEIR mascot the rabbit"..she yelled "SHE IS NOT WITH US"...didn't matter...everyone had fallen in love with me by this point (NOT knowing who I was).. Now we go back to the table...masks are all being taken off...she has her back to me (definitely 'telling' me she did not want me there)..her husband is across the table from me... I ever so carefully take off my 'face mask'...you should have seen her husband's face..he jumped ON and OVER the table..he was soooo excited..she turns..does a quick look..THEN turned back again and started yelling and crying and her first words were "My house is NOT clean"..she KNEW I was going to be there for awhile!! Well, that was only the beginning of a great time..after the dance we decided that a few of our friends had to be woken for me to say hello to them..it's now 2am. In small towns no one locks their doors!! We walked into homes..sat on their couches and called for them...they'd come out of a sound sleep and find 4 cats and a rabbit sitting in their living rooms...it was a scream!!!!! A few days later the town itself had their big dance...everyone knew I was in town by then..and I danced my face off and had the best birthday present ever. It's a 'happening' that can never be repeated..it was so good.
