The Great Pumpkin

Back when I was a little girl.... In the Fall, right before Halloween, I looked forward to watching "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" on TV. It only came on once a year, as did MANY other great TV shows and movies like ---- Santa Claus is Coming to Town, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Wizard of Oz, Charlie Brown's Christmas... etc. Kids, including myself, were allowed to stay up late on these nights in order to watch these once-a-year "specials".

Now, these shows can be bought on video and watched over and over, anytime we choose to watch them. To me, it kinda' takes away from the "specialness" of them.

One year, when I was in 5th grade, I was very sick on the week of Halloween. I couldn't go to school, which normally... I wouldn't have minded, but this week was going to be fun because I knew that I would be missing out on a lot of fun things at school that week.

My school --- which was right across the street from the apartment that we lived in! --- always had a HUGE Fall Festival with carnival games, prizes, and good food. The festival was held inside the school and then also outside, on the basketball court... which I could see very CLEARLY from my bedroom window! I can still remember sadly staring out that window and watching everyone having fun at the festival.

At some point, during this week of me being sick... The doorbell rang and I was surprised to see my teacher standing there!! She had come to bring me cards that my class had made for me and candy that I had missed out on getting. Her name was Miss Ballard. I will never forget her. In my memory... she looked like Marlo Thomas when she was on the TV show... "That Girl".

On the day of the Fall Festival, as I sadly watched everyone else having fun at the Fall Festival, the doorbell rang again. This time, it was for a flower delivery. I didn't think much about it until the man said that it was for ME!! When I read the card that was attached, it said.... "Hope you feel better. Love, The Great Pumpkin". I remember being excited, but yet... a bit confused. I knew that the Great Pumpkin was NOT real.

I asked my mom if she was "The Great Pumpkin", becaue I just knew that she had sent the flowers to me. My mom (of course) denied sending them. She kept insisting that it really WAS The Great Pumpkin. Then, I started drilling her with questions as to WHO might have sent the flowers. She played her part well and kept insisting that it really WAS The Great Pumpkin.

I decided that it must have been my grandmother. My mom said that it wasn't, but allowed me to call her anyway. -- I can just imagine the confusion that my poor grandmother must have had when I asked her if SHE was The Great Pumpkin! - She said, "No. It's not me." I remember her asking me questions about the flowers and I remember explaining to her about how they came and how the card was signed.

My mother never did let on that she really WAS The Great Pumpkin, but I know now that this was just one of the sweet things that she did for me and something that I will never forget! I only wish that I had a picture of those flowers and/or the card that was attached.

I just had a fun thought!!!! ~~ Maybe "The Great Pumpkin" should return the favor and send HER some flowers!!! Then, I can insist that I am NOT The Great Pumpkin! **Smile**

I don't have a picture from that day, but I do have this newspaper article from when I was in the 1st Grade. It is very special to me. I had to separate it into three pictures. I hope that you can read the words in the article.