Ad Hudler - Ad Libbing

Writer's Memory: #512585E
Thursday, March 12, 2009

I have always enjoyed dressing up as inanimate objects for Halloween. See if you can guess what I was in 1994:

We had been to visit my wife's parents in Kansas, and when we returned to New York I discovered that one of our suitcases had busted open. A thoughtful bag handler had wrapped tape around it, and, much to my delight, left the entire roll of it hanging from the suitcase. I intuitively recognized the great potential of a roll of tape that repeated, seemingly ad-infinitum, "United Airlines Baggage United Airlines Baggage United Airlines Baggage"

That Halloween, I smudged black mascara under my eyes to make it look as if I hadn't slept for days. I donned a backpack crammed with two lifesize plastic skeletons, their arms and legs protruding in spots. I wrote on small pieces of paper and pinned them to my clothes. They said things like, "Second divorce," "Daughter comes out of the closet," "Affair," "Claiming bankruptcy," and "Accidentally ran over neighbor's dog." Then, I took that wondrous roll of tape and haphazardly wrapped it around my torso, arms and legs.

Can you guess what I was?
EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE!

5 Comments:

Amy Fischer said...: Very clever! When my middle son (now 17) was in 6th grade, he was "Duct Tape Man" for Halloween. He had me get him grey sweatpants and sweatshirt and he completely covered them (and an old hat) in duct tape. To this day he is still very fond of duct tape. Every Christmas, Santa puts a roll in his stocking. His favorite is hot pink.

Also, where in Kansas is Carol from? I am a Kansan, you know?; March 12, 2009 1:06 PM
Ad Hudler said...: Hey, Amy....Carol's from Onaga, a little town outside of Holton, between Topeka and Manhattan.

And you need to know that my emotional baggage costume was used while we lived in Woodbury, east side of St. Paul....and those damned suburbanites just didn't appreciate it. Do you know who won the best costume award that evening? Freakin' Little Red Riding Hood. I swore off the outer-ring suburbs from that point on!; March 12, 2009 1:14 PM
Only Waiting for this moment to arrive said...: Ad, The whole time I was reading your post, I was trying to guess what you were. I did get the baggage part right. Very creative thinking just like we learned at Winship!; March 12, 2009 1:20 PM
Ad Hudler said...: Is this Debra D?; March 12, 2009 1:35 PM
Only Waiting for this moment to arrive said...: Yes.; March 12, 2009 11:03 PM