UNEDITED
Between his semi-committed addiction to smoking and his role as CEO of Elemental Coffee, Cassian Russell has spent the majority of his life running one of the most popular coffee shops on the Island with his best friend, Jake Swift. After a...
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Penelope
Halloween, my favourite holiday, is on the horizon. We're halfway through October, and work is running smoothly. Since the issues with the piping being up to protocol, nothing else has gone wrong. I hope it stays that way.
"We have to dress up for Halloween," I tell Cassian as he merges into the other lane. We're on our way to Vernon to visit Historic O'Keefe Ranch's pumpkin patch and haunted corn maze. It's just after four o'clock and the sun is already dipping behind the mountains, casting a golden shadow across the geography. "And decorate. We're going to have trick or treaters in our neighbourhood. We can't disappoint the kids. Disappointing them would be a dark mark on our consciences."
"Not mine," Cassian chuckles. "Halloween can go fuck itself. What's the point of dressing up? It's a waste of money, if you ask me."
I poke Cassian in the side. "Okay, Halloween Grinch. If you hate Halloween so much, why do you want to go to a pumpkin patch?"
Cassian purses his lips. "Autumn is my favourite season. I enjoy partaking in activities that relate to autumn, such as going to a pumpkin patch."
"Halloween relates to autumn," I frown.
"Look," he says, stopping at a red light. Ahead, I can see the wooden fence lining Historic O'Keefe Ranch. It's been three years since the last time I drove to Vernon and visited. We're in the countryside area, where hills roll into the mountains, dotted with livestock and large sprinklers. Orchards that have turned red and orange surround the property, and a large cornfield. "When I say I hate Halloween, I mean I hate dressing up. I'll carve a pumpkin. I'll hand out candy to little kids. But dressing up? No way in hell."
The light turns green, and Cassian guides his SUV through the intersection, around a corner, and then into the busy dirt parking lot. I can't say I'm surprised at how busy it is. Historic O'Keefe Ranch attracts thousands of people each year—especially during October. Their haunted corn mazes are high end. "Why do you hate dressing up?" I ask. "Technically, it's also related to autumn."
"Don't get technical with me, Pen," he warns, coasting to a stop to let pedestrians cross the dirt road. We might be stuck circling the parking lot for a while. "I hate the concept of dressing up because of the racism I've faced."
A wave of dread washes over me. These types of conversations are never comfortable, but I want to hear more about his experience. I want to learn more about the topic
"Can you tell me more?" I ask softly.
He side-glances me, a look of appreciation saturating his brown eyes. "I don't like it when people abuse my culture. Halloween is about impersonating a character—not a culture. When someone dresses up as Pocahontas, although she's a character, it's a strike against culture and beliefs." He steps on the gas and takes a left. We're in the last row of the dirt parking lot and just ahead, there's a parking spot. He glances from side-to-side and speeds up a little, despite the directions being one-way. After Cassian's parked and cut the engine, he turns to look at me. "Halloween sucks, okay? While most people understand how costumes depicting our culture are an act of racism, you get those ignorant assholes who argue and cannot understand how complex everything is. Racial slurs are the worst, Pen. You should be thankful you don't have to deal with them."
