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| Taken at 11:15 am. |
Halloween Die-ary #11
While most people were worrying over the past year about death rates and virus
vectors, economic ruin and vulnerable loved ones, stimulus packages and
protests and the efficacy of masks, my main thought has
been, “I wonder what Salem will be like in October this season?”
Okay, not really. But the thought entered my mind at some
point (it’s not too hard, my brain’s like Charlie Brown’s ghost costume). I’ve
been monitoring the news out of Salem avidly in regards to its month-long
Haunted Happenings festivities. And its adaption to current events has been…definite.
All city-run events have been cancelled. That’s the parade. That’s the streets
fairs. That’s the costume balls. As have many private ones. The Salem Horror
Fest (which has become one of the most important parts of Salem’s October) has
been virtualized. The House of Seven Gables isn’t letting people inside. Other
attractions have closed. You’re required to wear a mask everywhere downtown,
even outside. If you’re from a danger state, you need to quarantine for two
weeks or have documentation of a COVID test to be there. Lots of other changes
that you can read about here.
Put it this way. Kate Fox, director of the city’s tourism organization, is telling people, “This isn’t the year to just come and wander.”
So I went today. Not technically October, but it might as
well be. And we’re from a safe state (currently only ten of them). And, I think,
what I learned in this year of our COVID 2020, is that Salem…is just gonna
Salem. Even without all the events. And all the restrictions. And all the
cultural baggage that COVID is dropping on our heads in addition to killing us.
And I don’t say that in a Halloween-is-in-our-hearts, Dahoo Dores kind
of way. I just mean you can’t stop Salem tourists.
There was a lot of people in the streets of Salem this
morning. Possibly less than what would be on the weekend before October, but a
lot of people.
Of course, “come and wander” is exactly what me and mine
usually do in Salem. But the other half of Kate’s quote was, “This is the year
to come with some intention and support the small business community.” And this
time, we had some serious-up intention.
That intention was the Peabody Essex Museum. It was
exhibiting the artifacts of the Salem Witch Trials for THE FIRST TIME IN THIRTY
YEARS. This was a big deal for Salem and for PEM (and for me), as those of you who
read A Season with the Witch know. I’m going to save discussing that exhibition for
another post. Don’t get mad. I’ll make it a priority.
After the museum visit, we hit up the bookstores. Many of
the stores are still open in Salem, although under the usual restrictions. I always
check for A Season with the Witch (and now I’m peeping for Cursed
Objects) and am almost always disappointed by it not being there. Today was
no exception. We followed all the painted footprints of witches, beasts, and
skeletons to Artist’s Row, where we swung by the Lobster Shanty (I haven’t had
a Hot ’n Dirty Pickle Martini in forever), but it wasn’t open for another hour. I still don’t know what my comfort level with
restaurants are, anyway, so it was a decision deferred.
We walked past the Grimshaw House on Charter Street to see
what tortures they were inflicting upon what had once been the coolest derelict
house in Salem. We peered through the chain link fence at the Old Burying Point
Cemetery, which is closed for October for renovation…but was also closed last
October for the same reason, so I’m unsure if it’s a legit initiative or just
their move in October now to protect it from revelers.
We were downtown for three hours. It was probably the
longest amount of time I’ve worn a mask (orange and black, of course). I always
wondered how costumers wore their rubber masks all day in Salem. I probably
still don’t know, but I myself got pretty hot under my piece of cotton. But
that was also my fault. Today was a warm day, but I’ve already shifted over to
sweaters and coats, and I refuse to shift back again until Spring.
After downtown Salem, we drove to Harmony Grove Cemetery to
see the grave of George S. Parker, the founder of the now defunct Parker
Brothers. Salem brought us everything from Monopoly to Clue. Random fun fact:
The Clue mansion was based on his mansion in Peterborough, New Hampshire, which
is still around and privately owned. Parker Brothers was even the popularizer
of the Ouija Board (which was invented in Baltimore and bought by Parker
Brothers).
Back home, we marveled at the colors already appearing in the trees and
wondered if we should have taken a foliage trip today instead (No!! Witch Trial
artifacts). We walked our woods, looking for salamanders (because it’s past
snake season here), dove into a Halloween care package from a friend, and
finished the night eating witch-shaped chocolate from it and watching the second
half of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark with the one of our kids who can
watch a scary movie (but who still gets scared enough to watch through her
fingers).
If I could Groundhog Day this day, I would.
