Pumpkin pie

My best friend in our neighborhood while growing up was Mark Sherman, who lived two houses up the street. I liked going over to his house (which was often) to play, play and play some more. I found it exciting that the sliding door on one side of their living room opened up to an office (his parents ran Eastern Book Service), and that things with his family were generally different from mine. Even his toys were impressive to me -- I remember being quite fascinated by his "Speak 'n' Spell" and a spaceship-looking electronic plaything that flashed colors and tones (you were supposed to repeat the melody that the toy played -- sort of like a memory game sans cards). Mark's dad, Mr. Sherman, was always warm and friendly; Mrs. Sherman was the same, and I remember being delighted (and perplexed) upon watching her take out homebaked bread from the oven once in a while. I had never seen loaves or pan de sal not come from a plastic or paper bag before being set on the table!

"Would you like some pumpkin pie?" Mrs. Sherman smilingly offered me one afternoon as Mark and I ran into the house, all sweaty from playing leap frog in the garden. I had never heard of pumpkin pie before that but I think I did try a slice. I don't remember at all how it tasted but since then I've held a fascination for pumpkins and the whole "pumpkin culture" surrounding halloween.

Too bad I didn't exert more effort to stay in touch with Mark before he left for the States to pursue college (or to work, I'm not so sure). Then his parents sold the house a few years later and moved to a more quiet neighborhood. I haven't heard from them but the sight of pumpkins (which is likely to happen at this time of the year every year) sure reminds me of Mrs. Sherman and the baked treats she'd churn out from the oven.

Of course with halloween in the air, pumpkins are everywhere again. I wish I had a copy of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," but for now I'll have to make do with borrowing a friend's and hope he lends me the whole Charlie Brown Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas DVD collection.


Well, well...as I surfed to look for Peanuts photos to put here, I discover that it's the 40th anniversary of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"! Happy anniversary!