Halloween's Finest

October 2007
Brooklyn, NY
Lafayette Avenue and Ashland Place

I walk toward Park Slope to meet some friends at a bar. I hum as I walk, sans costume and slightly inebriated. I pause on the curb. Reggaeton and shrieks waft through the air as a large brown van passes. I glare at the vehicle. "Stupid party van," I mutter. More voices paint the air, the giggles and yelps of young women. From across the street, I see two girls, dressed sexy for the holiday, laughing and leaning on each other as they run into the night in their high boots and sparkling tops. Because their boots are so sexy, they aren’t moving very fast.

A cop car pulls up next to me. From the loudspeaker, an angry cop voice shouts at these girls. What have these girls done? Have they stolen something from a costume shop? Have they run out on a bar without paying their tab? The squad car’s loudspeaker fires again. One of the girls shoots a look behind her but continues her doughy stumbling towards Flatbush. I am horrified by the defiance of these girls. Don’t they know that obstructing justice so flagrantly will cause them even more trouble? There is a third salvo from the speakers, but this time I listen to what is being said.

“REMOVE YOUR COSTUMES! STOP RUNNING!” The two young officers are laughing, ribbing each other. I pass in front of the car, stunned and smiling. One cop sticks his dashing blond head out the window. “Hey! You know you like it!” he says, motioning toward the girls, wiggling into the distance.

“Uh, yes sir,” I say, quickly crossing the street. “Have a good night.”

“Hey, buddy!” The cop car has pulled next to me on the other side of the street. “I’d be going that way if I were you,” the officer says pointing in the direction of the escaping sexies.

“Not tonight,” I say, trying to be diplomatic. “Happy Halloween!”

“Happy Halloween,” says the policeman and they speed away into the night.