A couple of Halloweens ago, I spent the day driving around Fairfield County, Connecticut in my 1963 Austin 850 Countryman Woody Wagon dressed as a clown. All my friends over the years had always referred to my 1963 Austin 850 (the granddaddy to all the new Mini Coopers) as my clown car. This priceless fire engine red little car only stands from roadway to top of roof 4 feet 4 inches tall; with 10 inches wheels.

I found out on my day’s excursion that a clown can do just about anything. I first stopped at my favorite place for breakfast; Bob’s Diner in Brewster, NY and had my usual. I drove to a friend’s farm and groomed a few horses. At lunch time, I drove back to Ridgefield, CT and eat at Chez Leonard’s, the famous hotdog cart on Main Street…… asking for no special treatment, I stood in line with the rest of the patron’s for about 10 minutes before being served. After that, I head down to Westport, CT and drove around where Martha Stewart and the late Paul Newman lived…… waving and honking my horn to all that waved or honked at me. I stopped by a friend’s house and took their small children ‘trick-a-treating’ down along Long Island Sound.

I then went to Stew Leonard’s, a local super-grocery store, whose store motto is the customer is always right! This unique grocery store has only one aisle that meanders through the store with free samples along the way. You never want to go back against the flow, because it is worse than LA at rush hour. I think most customers thought I was part of the store’s Halloween staff until they saw my shopping basket and headed to the express check-out line, a course asking for paper not plastic.

Now late in the day after driving around the community and with dinner in the bag, I headed for home. Tired and feeling great about bringing joy & laughter to so many, I just had one more stop to make…… the local CVS to purchase some Pond’s ® cold cream so I could get this clown make-up off my face. I walked in like any normal customer and headed to the makeup aisle to find the cream; then went directly to the register to pay. The young lady behind the counter, who I knew very well, started to scream like a character in one of those slasher Halloween movies. She totally freaked out. The manager of the store tried to calm her, but to no avail. So, he just told me to leave the store with the cream as a gift. He just said that it was the right thing to do for an old man who would dress-up like a clown and terrorize the community.

Happy Halloween!