A September Sunday in Salem

September in Salem is an unique time. My son and I donned our coats and headed downtown. As we walked around there were not many people out. It was a Sunday morning so people were either at church or still sleeping. Or maybe it was just too cold.

There was a kind of electricity in the air. A potential energy. The city was resting up and preparing for the madness that waits up ahead.

Halloween is just a night at the end of October for most of you. But to us, Halloween is a month long celebration. It is full of costumes, bazaars, concerts, parades, balls, and hot chocolate.

Not today though.

As I sat alongside the fountain on Essex watching Ryder run around, I couldn’t help but think about how in only one month’s time that will not be possible. There will be far too many people. I wonder how the trolleys will get through the masses. How did they last year? We have been seeing more and more trolley tours lately and surely the walking tours will soon begin to block traffic again.

Around lunchtime, the city began to come alive. The venders setup their sausage and lemonade stands. It had warmed up and people started coming out of hiding. You can tell the residents from the tourists. The residents are not carrying maps and are not wearing shirts that say “Salem.” The tourist for now remain the history buffs. There will be a different set of people visiting soon.

Samantha’s is getting busier with people planning out their costumes. For most of you, costumes are something you wear once a year, maybe to a party. Costumes here are to be worn the whole month of October. Some wear them year-round. In one short month, everyone will be looking like someone else.

As we headed home for a much needed nap, we crunched through some fallen leaves. When did this happen? I think about how I am not sure if I am ready to let summer go. That is what September is in Salem. September is the link between summer and Halloween. That electricity in the air? I believe that is the calm before the storm.