Halloween Evening in Des Moines Brings a Simple Tradition
In a column published by The Waterland Blog, life-long Des Moines liver and lover and former business owner Dave Markwell reflected on Halloween day spent watching the Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin cartoon classic with his daughter. Markwell recounted that when his daughter asked him on Halloween day if he wanted to watch the holiday cartoon and share some pizza, he gave the only right answer.
Markwell noted that he had prepared for potential trick-or-treaters by stocking up exclusively on chocolatey candies with a crunch—items he knows he will enjoy eating himself if the doorbell remains quiet.
Father and Daughter Recreate Childhood Movie Viewing Tradition
Upon arriving at the house, Markwell’s daughter inspected the candy bowl before settling in with her dog. While Markwell placed an online order for pizza, the two caught up on the events of her week from separate recline chairs with blankets draped over their laps.
As they ate, drank sweet beverages, and unwrapped candies, the Charlie Brown special began to play. Markwell wrote that they parroted the familiar dialogue aloud, traveling back in time to her childhood. Years ago, she would lie on the couch with a purple blanket during the annual viewing ritual. Though the physical setup had shifted to dueling recliners without the shared purple blanket, Markwell observed that the underlying experience felt largely the same.
Reflecting on Fleeting Moments and Fine Days
Markwell described the visit as a welcome pause in a busy life where opportunities to return to those earlier parenting moments come less frequently and take different forms. He suggested that the invitation to watch the show likely held value for his daughter as well, offering both of them a chance to sit and remember simpler days.
Concluding his thoughts, Markwell contrasted the complicated, mathematically difficult questions life often presents with rare, unambiguous moments that yield a full pillowcase and no rocks. He characterized those straightforward, comforting experiences as fine days worth an immediate yes.
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