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Pre-Halloween Madness in Ottawa – Yes, Out of Pumpkins…

“Is there a manager around? Call me the manager on duty.”

“Oh come on,” I sighed when I heard the customer in front of me getting angry for apparently no reason. I was waiting at the checkout, my hands full because once again, there was no basket available and I hate pushing these giant shopping carts around the aisles. So I was balancing bananas, cauliflower, a can of soup and yogurt, hoping to be able to put the items on the conveyor belt pretty quickly because my arms were getting numb.

“I just can’t believe it!” the customer was shouting. “This is awful management and customer service. Awful.”

The manager jogged to the checkout, a worried look on his face.

“Apparently, you are out of PUMPKINS!” the angry customer spat out. “On October 30! Tell me this is a joke. Tell me you have a box left in the back.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I thought. “Mountains of pumpkins have been on sale for about a month now! Of course, there are none left, it’s about fucking time you realize it’s Halloween!”

The supermarket was indeed out of pumpkins, the customer left fuming and I was able to pay for my purchase.

Pumpkin drama. That was… unexpected.

I ODed on Halloween this year. I got sick of fake plastic body parts and ghosts by mid-September. I don’t particularly like candies, especially not the cheap kind everyone buys in bulk. Orange is not a flattering colour. I’m tired of making monster faces with Mark.

On Merivale Road alone, there were four stores dedicated to Halloween customs and decorations. FOUR! And not small hole-in-the-wall stores, supermarket-size stores. Crazy. Feng took Mark there to check out the monsters—free entertainment.


It’s amazing what lengths people go to celebrate Halloween. Entire front porches and yards are decorated, elaborated costumes, lights… You have to remember that this is Canada, and it’s already cold outside. It’s not like you can have a backyard party on Halloween night.

This year, we did more before October 31 than on Halloween day. We took Mark for walks around the neighbourhood to check out the monsters when the weather was still warm enough, and he had a Halloween party at daycare the Friday before Halloween. We were going to take him trick-or-treating but he didn’t feel like it—neither did I, it was cold and windy.

I expected the monsters will be gone next week… soon to be replaced by Santas.

Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Our Contribution to Halloween this Year
Our Contribution to Halloween this Year
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
Halloween 2015 in Ottawa
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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