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Halloween decoration posed in various scenes in front of Martins Ferry home

T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON POSING WITH Skinny the skeleton are Sophia Maguire, 6, her father, Lance Maguire, at right, and Maguire’s friend, Wheeling resident Corey Bandy, who is receiving help from Skinny to sell his motorcycle along Zane Highway in Martins Ferry. Maguire puts Skinny in various situations and scenes throughout the year.

MARTINS FERRY — If you ever notice a skeleton tangled up in Christmas lights outside a Zane Highway home, fishing from its front porch or some other head-turning scene, don’t worry, it’s just “Skinny” having a good time.

The life-sized plastic skeleton belongs to Martins Ferry resident Lance Maguire. It was named Skinny by his 6-year-old daughter Sophia. Maguire said he started leaving the traditional Halloween decoration outside his home for other holidays after some of his other decorations went missing.

But it wasn’t meant to be a deterrent to would-be thieves. The first time he displayed the skeleton he decided to screw it into place after some other items were stolen from his yard and front porch.

Then he left it up and decided it was fun to put Skinny in various situations. One summer Skinny was posed perching over the porch railing spraying weeds with a bottle of weed killer.

Last Christmas, poor Skinny got caught upside in a string of Christmas lights hanging off the front porch.

Last Halloween, Skinny could be seen using a fishing pole trying to fish for heads off the porch.

“I find them all funny,” Maguire said when asked about his favorite scene.

Most recently, Maguire decided to help his friend Corey Bandy of Wheeling sell his motorcycle. Maguire placed the vehicle on his front lawn with Skinny perched beside it.

It was definitely one of Skinny’s more eye-catching scenes since he was off the porch. However, Maguire said he does not want to distract drivers too much.

“I don’t want people getting into accidents,” he said.

There are plenty of holidays coming up this spring and summer. Visitors to the city and residents driving or walking by will just have to wait and see what kind of activities — or trouble — Skinny gets into next.

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