Tah daahh! Here it is, the finished costume! A well-deserved round of applause for David B., who guessed it correctly: the character Mater from the movie Cars. As usual the costume-building took until the last possible minute (read 3 a.m. Hallowe’en morning). Jon’s school scheduled its costume parade at 11 a.m.; we had to drive it into the school separately because there’s no way it could’ve fit on the bus!
The costume parade at Jon’s school.
Front and back views.
These pictures were taken late afternoon while the sun was still up so you can’t see the working running lights at the top of the cab.
More views.
Detail of door and eyes.
What a haul!
No comment yet
Jude says:
November 1, 2006 at 9:22 am (UTC 0)
Way to go Jon!!
Good Haul!!
aiabx says:
November 1, 2006 at 9:25 am (UTC 0)
If Jon had shown up at our place, we’d have doubled the haul. Awesome! Even better than the guy we saw with the glow-stick powered Tron costume!
Jude says:
November 1, 2006 at 9:33 am (UTC 0)
Way to go Mom and Dad!! Awesome does not even come close to describing it.
Sniff – I want one too! TOTALLY COOL!!!
David "Not Gloating, Really" Barker says:
November 1, 2006 at 11:16 am (UTC 0)
I saw it live and in person and it was awesome. Awe. Some. Way really.
I went trick-or-treating with them and the neighbourhood was mightily impressed.
And then the local family of wild eccentrics did a street-blocking, trick-or-treat-stopping, huge cast, live action tribute to Hallowe’en AND Christmas based on ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ on a front-yard stage with a video screen hung off the roof, three ten minute shows at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30. (The 8:30 show was a little blue, rumour has it.)
That show was the only thing that rivalled Jon’s costume. And that neighbourhood goes all out.
Awe. Some.
Debbie says:
November 1, 2006 at 11:32 am (UTC 0)
Oh my god, this is BRILLIANT.
Werner says:
November 1, 2006 at 4:56 pm (UTC 0)
Incredible…but then, that’s simply what we’ve come to expect from you people. Can I hire you next year? Pleeeez?
ps my Honda’s getting old….can you do something…a cool cover?
Lucky Jon!
Tamiko says:
November 1, 2006 at 7:31 pm (UTC 0)
Yeah I promise if you make me one, I won’t outgrow it!
Matt G. Leger says:
November 2, 2006 at 9:31 am (UTC 0)
That is either (A) a set of parents that REALLY love their child or (B) a set of parents REALLY into costuming at any excuse! (Or maybe both.) Bravo and congratulations to the lucky little boy. Very impressive.
Laura says:
November 2, 2006 at 2:05 pm (UTC 0)
Peter’s often said that putting so much work into something that will just go out in the paper recycling the next week is our version of the buddhist monks’ sand mandalas—spending days making beautifully intricate patterns of coloured sand, only to destroy them at the end.
But just in case we don’t have to, anyone want a slightly-used Mater wheelchair costume?
Andrea says:
November 2, 2006 at 6:33 pm (UTC 0)
Wow, that’s fabulous!!
Maybe there’s a children’s hospital or hospice nearby that you could give the costume to?
Just an idea . . .
Tami says:
November 3, 2006 at 9:04 am (UTC 0)
Jon was definitely the KING of the SunnyView parade. Everyone is still talking about how amazing this was! So, are you trying to impress the “new” teacher? I know this “old” teacher was suitably impressed!!
Loris says:
November 3, 2006 at 1:43 pm (UTC 0)
It’s taken me this long to reply because my jaw dropped in awe. Unbelievably brilliant and well-crafted!!!
Loris
troy says:
November 3, 2006 at 5:14 pm (UTC 0)
You said the production down the street may eventually collapse under the weight of it’s own expectations, I’d say you are building your own weight pretty high as well. Amazing job. You’ve certainly got the spirit. After a mad dash around town for candy (Dawson was critically short) I had a total of five kids come by that was the extent of my effort.
See you, Troy
David "Just Thinking Out Loud In Public" Barker says:
November 4, 2006 at 4:44 pm (UTC 0)
Hey, you don’t need to throw it out! Donate it to a school or a children’s group or me, if I had the space for it, which I don’t so don’t, but you get the idea.
Peter says:
November 4, 2006 at 5:44 pm (UTC 0)
Andrea, David, the costume wasn’t built to last. It’s made of cardboard and glue and paper tape and poster paint. Heck, I was just hoping it would last the night and I know it wouldn’t if it had rained. It was built around Jon’s specific wheelchair, tray and seat at his current growth settings, it isn’t one size fits all.
As for the weight of expectation, yeah I know. But Jon’s ten, and there’s a finite number of Hallowe’ens left him to participate in, and there’s always the hope that next year he’ll want to go out as his own clone, or The Wheelchair Ninja, or something.
An aside: Jon was quite shy during the school parade, when there was a lot of appluase and encouragement shouted to him. Although he knew what the costume was, we realized that as the wearer Jon couldn’t see the sum of the parts, so he couldn’t figure out why he was the centre of attention. We went to the full length mirror in the school’s physiotherapy dept, and that’s when Jon suddenly became delighted. That night, he was outgoing and firm, and knew he was the costume. To anyone who didn’t know: “I’m Mater. From the movie Cars.” It made all the difference.
David "Forgot Part Of My Idea" Barker says:
November 6, 2006 at 12:12 pm (UTC 0)
I meant to say that it be donated as a sculpture, just add a few connections or bracing pieces and have them stick it in the corner somewhere with a card that says ‘On Loan From The Private Collection of Mr. J. Kumashige Cook-Szuki, With Grateful Acknowledgement’
Easy as pi.
Dr.Dagys says:
November 9, 2007 at 11:27 pm (UTC 0)
You guys are AMAZING ! Jon is one very lucky child to have such devoted and loving parents, and talented costume designers/fabricators as well.