The Headless Cyclist

I grew up in the time when Halloween was fun yet thrilling in the late 50's and early 60’s and kids could safely go trick or treating. The fears that kids had of creepy things in the dark, made up in their own imaginations, created the legends still shared today.

Lamar Elementary, was around the corner from our house. The red brick, two story school, built in 1924, had a large school yard, filled with large oak trees and had an open air hallways accessible to all. This school is where the Halloween mystery began.

The school yard and its hallways were always dark at night. Not too many kids would cross the gates into the massive yard or dare roam the halls after sunset, particularly on the evenings of Halloween. For, if you ventured by, there it was, the headless cyclist riding the bike down the halls or in the school yard. Nobody knew who this ghost of Halloween at Lamar could possibly be. Children exchanged stories to confirm its existence during that hallowed night, that they in fact saw, with there very own eyes, the headless cyclist peddling through the school. You can be sure that kids ran as fast as they could when they saw the ghost, but thrilled to share with other trick or treaters, sending those kids near the school who also witnessed the event.

Now, stories came out, bigger and bigger each year about what was seen, how some were chased, fearing for their life should this ghost catch the unfortunate. Kids even saw victims draping the shoulder of the headless cyclist, which proved that life as we know it was over could really come to end should they get caught by the headless villain. My family moved as I was entering 4th grade. No more headless cyclist. We were safe, unlike the other children who were less fortunate.

For many years, through adulthood, I would tell that story to my friends, repeat it to my family and we all got a really good laugh, as we continued to scratch our heads to the mystery. But, one night about 15 years ago, the truth revealed itself. My brother, Randy, 6 years my senior, said "It was me". In a few short years, my brother and his friend Danny, created a legend that has lasted even today about the headless cyclist in the halls of Lamar Elementary. Since I found out, I was reminiscing about our childhood adventures with a life long friend who recalled the story, wondering who was that cyclist? As we pondered, I remained quiet, smiling inside. I didn't have the heart to break the thrill of the ghostly headless cyclist who roamed the halls at Lamar Elementary.