10/16/12
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THE “REAL” MEANINGS
a fictional story for amusement only, not doctrine
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“Grandpa, why do people carve faces on pumpkins for Halloween?”
“They just do it for fun, Johnny. Why do you ask?”
“The kids at school said a scary Jack-o-lantern keeps the ghosts away.”
“Bah! That’s just a fairy tale! The way they do it these days has no meaning. There once was a time when it did serve a purpose; but that’s been long forgotten by most.”
“Do you know the purpose, Grandpa?”
“Yes. I do. Perhaps I’ll tell you about it after we get home. But first we have a little shopping to do.”
Grandpa had just picked up Johnny from school and they were driving home. On the way they stopped at a grocery store to get a few things for dinner. Johnny was twelve years old. He had been living with Grandpa for seven years now and the two of them were very close. They had bonded out of necessity and out of shared loss. Once their shopping cart had all they needed Grandpa steered it over to the produce section and picked out two small pumpkins. Johnny was surprised at this even though it was Halloween day. Grandpa didn’t usually observe the holidays; at least not in the typical ways.
“Aren’t those a little small for Jack-o-lanterns?” asked Johnny.
“Yes. They would be. But we’re not making Jack-o-lanterns. We’re going to do this the right way. Now, let’s go find a bottle of cinnamon and a couple of small candles, then we can check out.”
Grandpa fixed dinner while Johnny did his homework. After they finished eating and had cleaned up, Grandpa spread some newspapers on the kitchen table and gathered the supplies.
“Johnny, I’ll carve one and you carve one. But be careful to do it exactly as I show you. First, we cut a hole in the top; like you expect. But don’t make it round. It must be a hexagon. Do you know what a hexagon is?”
Johnny answered, “Yes; it’s a six-sided shape. They taught us that in math.”
“Good. It must be a hexagon. Demons like five-sided figures. That’s why they associate with the pentagram. But six sided figures can gain power over them. The word ‘hex’ in hexagon isn’t just a coincidence. Just think ‘hex-gone’,” Grandpa chuckled.
“Now watch. Six firm plunges with a big knife is best. Like this. See? Well; that’s ok. Just go over the cuts again until the top comes loose. There; that did it. Next we take a big spoon and scoop out the seeds. Scrape out as much of the strings as you can, too. That’s it. Now, separate the seeds from the strings. We don’t just throw these away. We’ll burn them in the fireplace later.”
Johnny asked, “What about people who don’t have a fireplace? What do they do?”
“They can just build a little fire in their backyard or make a campfire in the woods,” Grandpa replied.
“Now turn the pumpkin so you can cut two round holes in the side.”
“For eyes? Is there a special way to make the face?”
“Sort of. They’re to let air in for the candle. But, yes, they look like eyes. Make them round, demons don’t like circles either; and not too big. Use the small knife. Try not to get any larger than a half-dollar piece. Also, the two holes is all we do. If this works, the face will appear by itself.”
“What?!” Johnny’s pumpkin slipped from his hand and rolled across the table. As he grabbed it back Grandpa continued.
“That’s right. These pumpkins aren’t for scaring demons away; they’re for catching and trapping them. It’s when you’re able to see a face appear on the front, that you know you have one. That’s one of the ways modern stories have things backwards. People know there should be a face on the pumpkin; they just don’t know how it’s supposed to get there.”
Johnny then asked, “But, isn’t a pumpkin too small to hold a demon?”
Grandpa answered, “Oh, no. Demons aren’t physical; they’re spiritual beings. So they don’t take up space in the way we think of it.”
Grandpa went on, “Now we sprinkle cinnamon all over the inside. This is what lures them in; then it disorients them. It’s like the effect of catnip on cats, or mint with genies.”
“Or garlic with vampires?” volunteered Johnny.
“No. Garlic is to drive away vampires. We want to attract the demons. And cinnamon does that. Then once they’re inside the pumpkin it makes them drunk so they can’t get out again. Long ago they would use strips of cinnamon bark. But this powder works just as well and is more convenient. You can also use cinnamon oil. You know, that spicy tasting oil they use in those hot candies? Oh! You can also use those candies, or anything else that has either cinnamon oil or powder in it. See? There’s another way that modern practices have changed the original purpose. You can put candy in the pumpkins; but it has to have cinnamon in it.”
“We’re almost done. All we need to do now is put the candles in. The candles should be short to fit inside these small pumpkins. Votive candles are best. They’re often used for prayers, so they have a strong association with the good side. The flame doesn’t do anything to the demons. It’s just to provide light for us to see them once they’re inside. It’s their silhouette on the surface of the pumpkin that makes it look like a face.”
Johnny nodded with understanding, “So then, the face doesn’t stay on the pumpkin. Right?”
Grandpa nodded back, “Right. It’s just a shadow or a glow that gives that appearance temporarily.”
“Can we light them and put them outside now?” Johnny asked excitedly. “It’s already getting dark. Can we do it now?! Or do we have to wait for midnight or something?”
Grandpa finished examining their handiwork, “We can do it now. Anytime after sunset is good.”
They each carried their pumpkin outside and placed them on the front step. After lighting them Grandpa explained how to set the lid so it didn’t close completely; just give them a slight turn so they balance above the opening. Then they went into the front yard and looked back at the glowing orbs.
“How long will we need to wait, Grandpa?” Johnny whispered.
“Oh, it won’t take long. Demons come out in force on Halloween; so they’ll be all over the place already. Just keep your eyes on the pumpkins and tell me if you notice anything unusual.”
Just then Johnny exclaimed, “Grandpa! Look! Look at the eyes. At first they were just glowing with the candle light. But now I see something more. It’s like they’re looking back at me!”
“Yes, Johnny. That’s it. Is it just one pumpkin?”
“In both, Grandpa. There’s something in both of them.”
“Good. Now let’s go to the pumpkins quickly, while the cinnamon is having effect, and push the lids closed tight. Don’t worry if the candles go out; they’re not needed now.”
After they had done this Grandpa said, “Wait! Listen to me carefully. This is very important. Don’t ever open the lid! Don’t be curious. Don’t be careless and let the lid fall off. No matter what; don’t!”
They took the pumpkins back in the house and Grandpa turned on the oven. He pulled out a baking dish and positioned Johnny’s pumpkin in it. “This is why we chose a small pumpkin. It has to fit in the dish whole. Now comes the fun part. We kill the demon.”
“What?!” Johnny gasped. “You’re going to kill it? But why?”
“Because they’re evil. Look; I’m not going to debate with you. And I’m not going to spend half the night telling you about everything they do. Just trust me for now. I’ll explain it when you’re older.”
Johnny knew not to pursue this further so he changed the subject. “Why are you cooking only one?”
Grandpa relaxed as he saw Johnny had dropped the other topic. “I have a different plan for that second one. Tonight you’ll get to see two different operations.”
“How long does that first pumpkin have to cook? Does cooking really kill demons?”
“Well, it’s not the cooking that kills the demon. It’s the destruction of the object it’s chosen to occupy which does it. We turn the oven hot, then we leave the pumpkin in long enough to get soft. So at this temperature an hour should do it.”
“It’s beginning to smell like pumpkin pie,” noticed Johnny.
“That would be the cinnamon and pumpkin cooking together. It was this smell which gave people the idea of using pumpkins for pies too; when they weren’t using them as demon traps, that is. But make sure not to use the same pumpkin. Never eat a demon; no matter how good he may smell.” Grandpa smiled at his little joke.
He checked the done-ness with a knife every so often. When he was satisfied that it was soft enough, he turned off the oven and put the baking dish on the counter. Once it had cooled enough to handle easily, they put the baking dish with the pumpkin into a cardboard box and took it out to the car.
Grandpa spoke as they drove, “There are two ways to get rid of the pumpkin now. The best way is to drop it off a bridge into a river. Magic can’t hold together in flowing water. The other way, for people like us who don’t have a river nearby, is to smash it on a road leading out of town. We should go at least a mile out so that whatever might remain of it can’t make its way back.”
After driving until there were no more signs of civilization, they found a place to pull off the road. Grandpa carried the dish and pumpkin to the edge of the pavement. He offered Johnny the honors; but Johnny declined. So Grandpa raised the dish over his head, then with a smooth sweep, turned the dish over and hurled the pumpkin out of it onto the road with enough force to make it splatter into pieces.
“That’s it. The remains will be dissipated by the wheels of passers, and animals, and by the weather. Now let’s go home. I have a special plan for the other one. It’s something I should have done before now. But I’ve been so preoccupied with raising you that I didn’t think of it until you asked me about pumpkin carving today.”
Johnny wondered with trepidation just what his Grandpa might be planning. The things that had happened so far were pretty strange. Could it get even more so? He was also concerned thinking that whatever it was, it would now happen as a result of something he had said. Johnny would follow up that thought in a minute. But there was something else he wanted to ask about first.
“Grandpa, when you broke the pumpkin on the ground, did you hear something? Something other than just a splat?”
“Why do you ask, Johnny? Did you hear something?”
“Well, I’m not sure. But it seemed there was a sound like, … I don’t know, … like, a scream; maybe.”
“Yes, Johnny. There was a scream. But it wasn’t fully in our world; that’s why it was hard to hear. That was the demon’s awareness leaving our world, and going wherever it is they have their demonic graveyard. It’s interesting you could hear that. Earlier tonight you saw the eyes, and just now you head the scream. Interesting.”
Grandpa’s expression looked like he was deep in thought. But there was more Johnny wanted to know. “Grandpa. You said you have something special planned for the other pumpkin. …”
“Well, … hmm. Where to start? Do you know who Dr. Black is?” asked Grandpa.
“Isn’t he the one you said was responsible for Mom’s death? And Grandma’s?” replied Johnny.
“Yes. He’s the one,” continued Grandpa. “It was ten years ago that he misdiagnosed your Grandma with breast cancer. He then tortured her to death with radiation and chemotherapy. It was only after she was gone that they discovered she only had a simple cyst.” Grandpa paused to wipe his eye before continuing.
“Then seven years ago your father left your Mom. You’ve already heard about that. But what you may not know is that your mother went out to meet with him to see if they could reconcile. They couldn’t. While flying back home she got a blood clot in her leg. That happens from flying sometimes. So she went to Dr. Black to treat it.” Grandpa stopped again. The strain in his voice was getting stronger.
“If only I had known! I’d have told her to see someone else. Anyone else! Dr. Black put her on a blood thinner. But he prescribed too much; and he didn’t monitor her. She started hemorrhaging in her brain; and that was the end.” After another pause Grandpa’s voice became firm. “Now I’m going to give Dr. Black a little present.” They sat in silence the rest of the way.
Once they reached home, Grandpa nestled the remaining pumpkin in his elbow like a football, and they walked the six blocks to Dr. Black’s house.
Johnny asked softly, “How do you know it’s still in there? Should we take a look?”
Grandpa’s answer was sharp, “Don’t you dare! It’s still there. And it’s angry now. Very dangerous.”
Grandpa had Johnny hide in the shrubs while he went up to the front door. He set the pumpkin on the porch, faced it toward the door, then pushed the doorbell. Johnny didn’t know Grandpa could run so fast. He made it back to the hedge before the front door opened.
Dr. Black was holding a dish of candies, thinking he had trick-or-treat-ers. After seeing no one there he looked around and noticed the pumpkin. He reached back in the house and set the candy dish down; then he came out on the porch and picked up the pumpkin. Johnny felt his Grandpa get tense as he watched the doctor.
A moment later Dr. Black opened the lid and peered inside. Johnny looked carefully, but didn’t see anything happen. The doctor then walked to the edge of his porch and called out to the darkness, thinking he was speaking to teenagers, “Ha, ha. Very funny.” He stepped off the porch, went to the side of the house, and dropped the pumpkin in a trash can. Going back inside he slammed the door.
Grandpa looked giddy on the walk home; but Johnny was puzzled. “Nothing happened. I didn’t see anything happen. What went wrong?”
Grandpa shook his head, “Bah! You kids of the TV generation. You’re always looking for a ‘bang’, or an instant effect. But real life isn’t like Hollywood. Something happened all right. You just have to give it time.”
* * * * *
Nearly two months later:
“Grandpa, why do people put a star on the top of the Christmas tree?”
“They do it for fun, Johnny. They just think it makes the tree pretty. Why do you ask?”
“The kids at school said it means something; but they all had different stories.”
“Well, a Christmas star does have a purpose. However, it’s been long forgotten by most people.”
“Do you know the purpose, Grandpa?”
“Of course I do. I’ll tell you about it when we get home. We can each make one.”
“Two stars?!”
“Yep! Two stars. Wait and see.”
With it being just three days until Christmas, Grandpa and Johnny had already put up a tree and decorated it the week before. It had colored lights and a few ornaments which Johnny had made at school in years past. But there was no star.
After dinner, Johnny was called back to the table and found Grandpa waiting with a few supplies.
“This isn’t hard to do. A star is just a simple shape cut out of stiff paper. It’s merely a matter of knowing its significance in order to use it.” As the two of them sat and worked, Grandpa explained.
“The very first Christmas star was actually angels announcing the birth of the Messiah. So Christmas stars are about messages; and Christmas angels are messengers. What this means is that we can use these stars to send messages to our loved ones who have gone ahead. You write your message on the star and hang it on the tree, then an angel will come to read the message and take it back to Heaven.”
Johnny’s face brightened with understanding, “I’m going to write to Mom!”
Grandpa nodded, “And I’ll write to Grandma.”
Once they were finished they traded stars so they could read each other’s message.
Johnny’s star read, “Dear Mom, I miss you very much. But I know you’re in a happier place now. Don’t worry; Grandpa is taking real good care of me. We have lots of fun. I love you. I’ll write again soon now that I know how. Love, Johnny”
Grandpa’s star was covered with small writing which filled both sides. “My Darling, I miss you greatly. Sorry I haven’t written sooner; I’ve been busy. I have some news for you. The day after Halloween, Dr. Black wasn’t feeling well, so he went to the hospital to get checked out. They found he had Cancer; an aggressive, fast growing kind. He suffered a lot as they tried everything. Nothing worked, of course. I knew you’d be interested.” The message continued on back, “I can’t join you yet. I need to take care of Johnny. But he’s growing fast and he’s very smart. So he’ll be alright. You’ll be pleased to know that he too has ‘eyes that can see and ears that can hear’. More later. Much love.”
Once he had finished reading Grandpa’s note Johnny took his own star and wrote on the back. “P.S. Go talk to Grandma to hear some news. Love, Johnny”
After hanging their stars on the Christmas tree, the two of them sat together on the sofa and watched the lights twinkle. Johnny felt they had been growing even closer ever since finding something new in common. Johnny then had a realization.
“Grandpa! Is something happening with the stars?!”
“What do you mean, Johnny?”
“They look like they’re glowing faintly. At first I thought it was just the reflection of the lights on the paper. But it’s not. It’s coming from inside.”
“Yes, Johnny. They are. That’s letting us know that the messages are being taken.” Johnny leaned his head on Grandpa’s shoulder and smiled with satisfaction.
Grandpa continued, “There are many supernatural things going on in the world everyday. Yet most people don’t know it. These events don’t happen loudly and draw a lot of attention. They happen quietly. And they come in such a way that there is always a natural explanation to lull those who don’t want to believe in such things. But for the person willing to accept the signs given, there is a lot of evidence around. And a lot of clues on how to work with these events. Now that you’re beginning to understand, I have much to teach you.”
They both knew it was going to be an exciting new year!
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED
