Halloween 1998

I don't dress up for Halloween; so, I had no dilemma about whether I should dress as Freddie Kruger, a pirate, or a ballerina on that day. I decided to visit Mom out in the California desert and go to the Landers, Cal. Annual Toast And Jelly Days festivities.
A lot of cities everywhere have events in the fall. San Clemente has its Ocean Festival. Laguna Beach has its Festival Of Arts. Landers has Toast And Jelly Days.
I had never attended. Besides the locals and rare tourist in attendance, a colorful mix of dentitionally challenged thieves, Republicans, pedophiles, drug users, zombies, and headhunters come in from the surrounding mountains and desert. It's like Halloween somewhere out there every day, I guess.
There was the obligatory parade with high school cheerleaders and the world famous Landers All Toaster Precision Drill Team. The high point for the crowd along the route was the color guard and the 21 slice salute [no description required]. We showed our approval by hurling slices of bread frisbee-like at the whirling, marching drill team as it passed.
The parade, whose members out numbered the crowd, ended at the "city" park. A larger group of the above characters had already gathered under the trees amid tables of bread, four slice toasters, milk, juice, coffee and glass jars of 'shine. These greeted the arriving parade and following crowd like those who've been awaiting the triumphant return of loved ones from a great and dangerous endeavor.
This took place under a banner strung between the trees that read, "Sumus Quod Sumos".
That was good enough for me.
The banner was there, I think, to answer the question that may have been in the minds of many that day, "Why?"
Needless to say, I was late getting to Mom's.....