So, Hallowe’en night.
We’re at the new house for our first Hallowe’en night there. We got a batch of candy to hand out to any trick-or-treaters. We figured it’d be a good chance to meet some of the neighbors, pass out the candy, and have a bit of fun.
We had an early dinner, then I prepared to be the one to hand out the candy. Moving has still left us in a bit of disarray. I couldn’t find my good cloak, so that left out my Knight outfit. I couldn’t find my dark shirt and pants so that left out going as The Shadow. I finally got some of my Renaissance Festival garb and my old cloak, my wizard staff, and I was set to go.
Our basement door faces the street so I figured I’d set up there. There are two steps down so I put my stool there to sit upon. It left the upper half of my body still visible to the street. I put up signs saying “Please take only one (1) piece of Candy!!! Thank you.” I set up a small table and put the candy in a bowl on top of it. The wife had bought a swirling glitter pumpkin and a little dog dressed up as a pirate that she wanted to show off. They went in front of the table. I figured the swirling glitter pumpkin might at least draw some attention. It wasn’t particularly creepy while the sun was still up, but when it got dark ….
I was hoping it would have the desired effect and look creepy. Half a body sitting in the dark alcove, silent, unmoving, waiting to scream at offenders trying to take more than one piece of candy.
I started around 5:00 PM, as the younger crowd usually gets out early before the older kids run amuck. I sat on my stool and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Either this neighborhood doesn’t celebrate Hallowe’en, or more than likely the kids were at one of the local churches doing the ‘trunk or treat’ thing. Trunk or Treat is when the kids go to cars parked in the Church parking lot, where the parents sit on (or in) the trunk of the car handing out candy. Sometimes they decorate the cars. It’s just not the same as running through the neighborhood, going house to house, trading candy with your friends when the house you visited doesn’t have the ‘good stuff’ (i.e., whatever type of candy you like best), and eating the best stuff before you get back home and your parents confiscate all your candy.
For all my efforts for the evening only one trick-or-treater came by. That’s because his dad was picking him up from our neighbor’s house across the street and they came over to get some candy. I told the kid he could have two pieces of candy because he was the first. Unfortunately he was also he last. It was around 7:45 PM when I eventually threw in the towel and packed everything up.
So, no getting to meet the neighbors, no getting to scare kids. The only upside is lots of candy leftover for me.
< Homer Simpson > Mmmmmm. Candy < / Homer Simpson >
I hope you had a safe and fun Hallowe’en in your neck of the woods, my Hordeling.
If you’d like to support my efforts, why not buy me a chocolate chip cookie through my Ko-Fi page? https://ko-fi.com/jhusum