the Looney Tunes years

One of my (many) works-in-progress, and one that is finally nearing completion, is the digitization of my albums of old photographs. As time permits, I've been gradually scanning these years of memories and adding them to my folders of more recent digital photographs.

And eventually, I arrived at some old Halloween photographs . . .

So where am I in this photograph? Am I the brightly attired, deceptively cheerful, evil clown? No. Perhaps then I am one of the menacing trio in black? Nope. No, I am none other than Sylvester the cat, standing incongruously in the midst of this sinister-looking Halloween group.

I can't help but marvel at my choice of costume back then, particularly since I usually lean toward the creepier, more traditional costume choices. Witches. Vampires. Monsters. Sylvester? The choice of costume originated with a room-mate of mine that year who had some ability with a sewing machine and who was creating a Minnie Mouse costume for herself. It looked impressive, and when she offered to sew a costume for me, I was intrigued. There were patterns for other costumes (albeit smiley happy ones) and I picked one. And Sylvester the Halloween cat was born.

The costume had its advantages. It was certainly warm, at a time of year that can be frigid and blustery. And it was popular, widely admired and occasionally borrowed. And it didn't disappear after just one Halloween. No, Sylvester was a fixture at Halloween parties and events for several years, fitting in nicely with these clearly un-creepy groups of revellers. Perhaps it was their influence that kept Sylvester coming back.

Eventually, I returned to my traditional Halloween costume choices, where I have remained ever since. But the Sylvester costume will always have a special place in my heart. A reminder of a time I look back upon as the Looney Tunes years.