1st Prize in Halloween Costumes ( English version ..please bear with my granmmar )

In 1989 I won first prize in Halloween costumes in North Hollywood city in Los Angeles County

I do not like to drive. And I still don’t …and nevertheless as they drive in California. With those "cars" so huge that unless there is not a sidewalk as long as a football field you don’t dare to park.

I had that go to the restaurant to work. Already time had changed but most of these retired people, continued with the stomachs, in summertime mode. I still had an hour before beginning the journey from North Hollywood to Beverly Hills that where the Italian restaurant (name withheld) was.

But the owners of the house where I had rented the pool cabin asked me a favor. Take the Toyota and go get some food from the supermarket... and bring candy... they were kids already with the “trick or treat” and we do not want to have eggs thrown to the façade because of some fu***ing sweets. (All of these words in English with many cursing words... what happens is that as here cannot replace the words with beeps)

Coming back from the supermarket...was dark already. Not so cold, although this Coldwater Canyon area is very humid and you see the mist from culverts. I stopped at the traffic light at Sherman Way... at the intersection with Coldwater C. My Toyota was the second car for the left turn. It was the "rush hour" should be translated by the rush hour (rush = hurry) but in reality, the jam of cars make the word "rush" a sarcasm. Kidding...

While waiting for the traffic light they had played ”Thriller” of M. Jackson like 200 times that day... so I leaned forward a little to change the radio station... My seat was pretty back... not that I qualify for the NBA in height but is that Toyota usually had seats stuck to the steering wheel. But I moved way back... and couldn’t reach the radio. In-seat belt it bothered. Once loose started spinning the radio dial... “The monster mash”... “Rudolph the red nose reindeer”... again the Thriller... nothing... that there was nothing that I liked...

At that time, from the corner of the eye saw the car going first. The one was placed first for the left turn... it suddenly accelerated and joined the row of cars crossing... I looked at the traffic lights....and was still in red...

.. WTF is he going? ... Then saw it... it came flying... like in those movies of persecutions of police cars jumping by changes in ground level. Like that. And then it dives. Right on the nose of my car. It was a Honda Civic... model tiny, in comparison with American cars. The experts confirmed it. When the Honda did hit my car didn't have all 4 wheels on the ground.

The former driver did a clever move as he had seen the Honda coming at full speed... and took off right away. And it left me so... BAAAMMMM!!!

My car leaned forward. The belt was unbuckled. My head came up and I went headbutts with the top of the windshield. The car which embedded itself in mine had two guys inside. I, as I could, left. Suddenly thought... they are going to explode like in the movies. Go figure…. I removed the contact keys and got them in the pocket. I grabbed the grocery plastic bags and left them near the sidewalk.

Approaching the car... one of the occupants laying backward. Yet there were no airbags. Although he was quite fat. But tummy does not save you from getting the steering wheel into the pylorus.

The other one had the head out of the window. I went to remove them in case there was an explosion. But no... There was no gasoline pouring or fire under the hood.

What I thought is in the movies. DON’T TOUCH IT¡¡¡¡

Fingerprints.

The "fingerprints" that should be in cans of beers that rolled on the floor of the car and the Cuervo Tequila bottle the window had in his hand. (I don't know why, but I spent a long time thinking that last thing he said was YEEEHAAAA while showing head out of the window after getting a slug of tequila.) Not every day you go in a car that flies and he was in one in the last of his days.

Then I thought. I have to call an ambulance. Police. The House so they can come for the candy... The restaurant also... I will be late…

At those times, there were no mobile phones. So I stopped in the middle of the intersection looking for a phone booth. On the other side of the street there was a Jack - in - the - Box (a distant cousin of a Burger King) so there I went.

I got to the phone, it was at the entrance. I took a few "quarters" out of my pocket and started calling. First 911...

Then the others. For when he ended up calling… the ovations began. I looked around and saw a watching crowd applauding and cheering. And screaming. There were people dressed up as mummies. Zombies, Dracula’s, Frankenstein. A pair of Imperial stormtroopers and Darth Vader... a 5 ´9 ´´ Lord Vader. A few Gorillas even a tranny dressed as Marilyn. And everyone clapping and pointing fingers at me.

And then I turned around. At the entrance, on top of a rack, was a mirror. And there I was. The face and the chest all bloodied. And with crystals nailed to my forehead. The bloody shirt and one eye half-closed by the blood were drying. A beauty.

Not had doubts. Better than any Zombie of the Paramount. The first prize. I sat on the curb waiting for the police. Even a helicopter illuminated the area. One of the cops jumps all over me. You are under arrest¡¡¡¡  I was just barely mumbling in English. I was going well... they jumped the red light.

Other police officer arrived and told him to remove my handcuffs. The stink of beer and tequila of the other two was pretty obvious.

And that was the day I was born again. And yes... that was the reward of prize for the best costume. Be able to still talk about it...

See ya…