“Scary Stories, Blankets and Floor Vents”

By Jerry Morian

June 11, 2026 12:20 am

Growing up in a small Arkansas town meant cold winters. Not just cold days – cold months. The kind of cold that seeps through the walls and makes it impossible to leave your blanket. So, we didn’t.

Back then, our house had floor vents everywhere. On those freezing mornings before school, my brothers Steve, Blaine, and I would pick one. It didn’t matter which one, as long as it was one of the bedrooms. We would grab one of three blankets, wrap ourselves up and huddle around the vent to allow Steve to proceed the mornings spooky story.

Steve was the oldest of the three of us. He was also the best storyteller any of us ever knew. Blaine and I? We were avid listeners. So every morning, we’d wrap a single blanket around all three of us, sit on that warm vent, and wait for Steve to speak.

His specialty was scary tales.

He knew exactly when to pause, when to lower his voice, and when to hit us with the jump scare. Every twist and turn had us on edge. Every sudden “BOO” made us flinch. There were a lot of laughs as well so these mornings were special to me and I’m sure, to Steve and Blaine, as well

The heat from the vent kept us toasty. Steve’s voice kept us terrified, ready to jump, then laugh. It was the perfect formula to begin a school day.

I think about those mornings sometimes. Especially on the rare cool mornings here in Florida. The air gets crisp, and for a moment, I’m back in that large Arkansas house, wrapped in a blanket with my brothers, listening to a story that made my heart race.

Steve is still living near that town, and for me, Blaine is too. He was the best friend I ever had, so I keep him close whenever I can.

The memories that make us smile, as this one does for me, are important and need to be remembered often. So make yourself smile while others wonder if your crazy and make the day better for all.

What’s a cold-weather memory you have of someone you’ve lost? I’d love to hear it.