Kindergarten, for most was the beginning of elementary and nothing more, for them it was more of the teacher saying “Alright children if you have one cookie and grab another then how many do you have?”

However for me, Kindergarten was something more. Autumn, brown wet leaves were as common as the air we breath, a small child who was very awkward passes by this school everyday. Wearing a sweater and his hair black in the shape of a bowl, his chubby cheeks gave him his toddler appearance, that child was me. One normal day of fall my teacher Mrs. Window who reminded us that her name is pronounced win-da-u, gave the class an announcement that no one expected.

“Alright children we will be going to the pumpkin patch next week.”

I looked around as a smile crept along my face as my friends and I discussed each other's excitement, children bouncing in their seats talking like a tape set on 2x the speed however I was the most excited as i was the one who would not stop talking, friends looking at me wondering if i would ever run out of breath.

I arrived to my white house and entered the door proudly, all I could talk about was the trip we had in store.
“Mom, mom we are going to get pumpkins, i’m so excited! I’m going to get a big one,” I said.
“Haha I’m sure you will,” my mother replied, as As she grabbed the slip of paper from my tiny hands and signed the paper that was my key to a great orange filled landscape.

I woke to sunlight on my face as my mother told me to prepare for school. The day was finally here, the day of the trip. As we drove to the school yard, I could hardly contain my excitement as I entered class. Completing our normal routine in the morning we then were able to spend an afternoon at the farm across from the school. The wait was finally over, and the child smiled and jumped with giddiness.

As we heard the industrial hiss of the bus stop, us kids got off onto the wet grass, waiting for us was the farmer, not your typical, overall wearing, red plaid shirt, wheat between his teeth sort of farmer, he wore black jeans, a red shirt and on his wrinkled aged face was the smile that all adults give in the presence of children.
“Hello Children welcome to my farm I am very pleased to be talking about my work Why? Because I love providing a service to my community” he said

He then proceeded to lead us around the patch.The worn out grass enhanced the display of the entrance of the farm, gourds and squashes whose shape are unique like that of a snowflake, some with protruding sides others with a proboscis-shaped exterior and others with bumps that make even the ugliest witch look dashing. Then proceeding to the sight of bright red bushels of apples, long yellow ears of corn and the smell of fresh berries. Finally ending in what we all came here for, the pumpkin patch seemingly going endlessly into the horizon. I did not know which to pick;the children around me scurried along the field grabbing the biggest pumpkin they could find, but the teacher said, “Children remember, the big ones will not be able to fit into the classroom.”

We then had to go to the farmer's cart and pick up those tiny palm sized pumpkins accompanied by these pumpkins we kids were able to acquire gourds; most kid’s gourds resembled a green and orange hybrid of a pumpkin and a goblin;  mine however were complete foils, one had a long stem which reminded me of a craning neck, the other a small little bump, I regard the gourds today as a maraca and a castanet for their close resemblance to the mexican instruments after admiring my perfect gourds we loaded onto the bus and began our journey back to the class.

When we arrived back into the class the teacher grabbed a giant plastic bin and emptied a plethora of colors
“Alright children it’s time to paint some pumpkins,” She said in a happy tone

As we got some markers I noticed some of the kids attempted to carve their pumpkins with scissors but in the end it did not work and they ended up with a messed up pumpkin. I was cautious but also very indecisive, “What was i going to draw?” I would ask myself as i spent time pondering and pondering. Then as i couldn’t think of anything i began to draw a standard face, its triangle eyes, triangle nose and gear shaped smile greeted me with that warm halloween spirit any kid gets when they carve or decorate a pumpkin. As I made my way home I was creeped along the cracks and bumps of the sidewalk to make sure no marker got off my pumpkin, when i got off the bus i ran home and showed my mom my pumpkin and gourds as she smiled that warm motherly smile and she placed my fall objects outside the house, for the whole world to see.

Many years have passed since then I am not as sweet and innocent as i was before, most of my chubbiness has left (some hasnt) band i now am on the way to adulthood, Have a car, have a job, apply to college, etc. etc. Although throughout all of life's daily struggles i am still greeted by the single gourd that has stood the test of time and decay and occasionally pick it up and shake it, bringing back all my childish emotions, even if it only for a brief moment.