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Mrs. Hamilton, by Don Tassone

29/10/2021

 
When you’re a kid, all grown-ups are a little mysterious. When I was a kid, Mrs. Hamilton, who lived next door, was the most mysterious grown-up of all.

For starters, no one knew where she came from. One day, she just showed up. Everyone called her Mrs. Hamilton, but we never saw her husband or any children. There were rumors, though.

We always knew when Mrs. Hamilton was around because she cackled. She cackled loudly and often.

Mrs. Hamilton always made you think of Halloween. She had stringy hair, a long nose, beady eyes, greenish skin, even a wart on her chin. She was tall and thin. She wore long dresses and floppy hats.

We usually saw her at dusk, walking around her yard. Sometimes she sat on a bench under a sycamore tree in her backyard with a big black cat at her side. She never spoke to us, and we never had the courage to approach her.

“Mrs. Hamilton looks like a witch,” my sister said at dinner one night.

“Sarah!” my mother scolded.

“Well, she does,” my father murmured.

“Jack!” said my mother, biting her lip.

One Halloween, I was the last one home after trick-or-treating. I always tried to get as much candy as I could.

As I stepped onto our front porch, I heard a familiar cackle. It was louder than ever, though. I looked over at Mrs. Hamilton’s house, which strangely had been dark the whole evening.

I saw a figure rising above the roof. It looked like a woman riding a broomstick. Her robe flapped wildly behind her. She flew in ascending, widening circles, her cackling ever fainter. Then she rode across the wondrously bright full moon and into the murky darkness beyond.

I never saw Mrs. Hamilton again.
Jim B. link
29/10/2021 03:53:57 pm

Wow - fun little story, Don!! Really enjoyed this.
I'm sure she was off to her house cleaning night job with that broom, right? ;-)
Nicely done
Jim

Don Tassone link
29/10/2021 05:13:21 pm

Maybe. 🎃 Thanks, Jim!

Kathy K.
29/10/2021 05:23:05 pm

Well, I hope Sara found Mrs. Hamilton’s ruby slippers.

Don Tassone link
29/10/2021 05:32:31 pm

Guess you'll have to wait for the sequel. Thanks, Kathy.

Libby Belle link
29/10/2021 06:01:32 pm

Bet you'll spot her flying high Sunday night! Cute story. Nice to lighten up once in a while with so much gobbledygook floating in the air. Happy Halloween Don!

Don Tassone link
29/10/2021 06:31:16 pm

Thanks, Libby. Happy Halloween! 🎃

Sue Clayton
30/10/2021 02:37:03 am

What a treat for Halloween; seeing a real live witch flying away on her broom, or could it have been a trick.

Don Tassone link
30/10/2021 09:30:17 am

I hadn't thought about it being a trick. Great idea for an alternate ending. Thanks, Sue!

Dee Lorraine
30/10/2021 04:00:52 am

Thanks for the Halloween literary treat, Don. Mrs. (Margaret) Hamilton, indeed!

Don Tassone link
30/10/2021 09:34:49 am

Very good, Dee! The original Mrs. Hamilton was indeed my inspiration for this story. Happy Halloween. 🎃

Jim link
30/10/2021 03:44:00 pm

Ahhhh!!! I didn't make that connection! I'm so glad I came back to read the comments! "I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!"
That just made a great story even better.
Thanks, Don
Jim

Doug
30/10/2021 05:52:51 am

Very nice. I really enjoyed it.

Don Tassone link
30/10/2021 09:35:42 am

Thanks, Doug.

Candace Arthuria Williams
30/10/2021 05:48:57 pm

Two years later, Vivien Leigh was That Hamilton Woman. In any event Jim, nobody after Gen X would ever get either of those references. Just us old geezers. Thanks for reminding us, Don.

Don Tassone link
30/10/2021 06:16:17 pm

Thanks, Candace, though now I'm feeling my age. 😜


Comments are closed.

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