Halloween

We survived our first real Halloween. Ruth Anne was frightened of the froggie raincoat when it first arrived. Luckily we had a week to acclimatize, so she eventually stopped telling us “No-no” whenever she saw it. She didn't put it on until the eleventh hour when the party was already gathering on the savannah at the housing compound. We hurried her outside where she became so distracted by looking at the other children that she forgot to be annoyed by the green bubble around her. I'd ordered kazoos for treats before I realized that the embassy community in Ashgabat really includes all Americans. Even then, the organizers told us to expect 40-45 children and there were at least 60. I remembered the old quarter trick just in time. Since half of Joe's job as consular officer is taking care of the oil workers, international school teachers, and Peace Corp volunteers in Turkmenistan, our family has a certain prominence, amplified by Joe's ponytail, among the Americans in Turkmenistan. It would not do for us to stiff kids on Halloween.