pumpkin costumes

When i saw all the monks there on that celebration i remembered a funny story my long-not seen-not-teacher told one day.
He went in winter with another monk through a canadian city, coverd with all available blankets in the monks saffron color. It was halloweens night. People started to come out of their houses in halloween costumes. it came to their mind that they, covered with all these blankets, on this day look as if they were going as pumpkins.
I started to see the monks i met and who were not in line with the dhamma and their particular monks rules, just as laymen in pumpkin costumes.
The effect was enormous. Instead of being angry or upset about their behavior i now was able to smile at them with compassion.