Trick or treating in NYC

During the 1960s, in the years before the Greenwich Village parade, Halloween was an evening that in New York was primarily special for the city’s children. I lived in the Amsterdam Houses neighborhood, between West 61-64 Streets and Amsterdam-West End Avenues, for most of that decade and recall what it was like to trick or treat in the “the projects.”

It was easy. It was scary.

It was easy because my building had eight apartments in each of its 14 floors. Since there were six 14-story buildings and many more four-story buildings in the neighborhood, it didn’t take long to fill up a shopping bag with candy. During a typical Halloween, in fact, I had to go back home a few times just to empty my bag and make room for more. Like the neighborhood, our results were pretty diverse. Some neighbors gave us packaged candies, others home-baked goodies. One family invited us to bob our heads in a pail of water for apples. Many weren't home or simply didn't answer the door.

The scary part wasn’t the costumes. Most of us simply wore a silly mask and, if we were fortunate, a matching costume. One classmate, however, claimed his mom made his costume “out of dirt”…whatever that meant. The neighborhood was well lit and few people tried to frighten kids by ambushing them. No, what scared us was the sight of Skeeter, the neighborhood bully. He and his gang of hoods walked around swinging socks filled with white powder. When Skeeter confronted trick or treaters, he usually demanded they hand over their candy. Most kids did, lamented their loss, and then continued on. Later on, we realized this was what retailers called shrinkage.

I wonder what it will be like trick or treating at Amsterdam Houses and other New York City neighborhoods this Halloween. Will Skeeter, assuming he is not in jail or dead, be giving away candy? Will anybody be bobbing for apples? In New York, is it still an evening that is primarily special for the city’s children?