Do They Know it's Halloween?

Halloween was my first experience in self control. Not talking *too* much about my costume before it was unveiled in a schoolroom parade through the halls, waiting until *after* dinner to race out into the streets & collect loot, trying not to seem *too* eager when hands tossed candy into my treat bag. Returning home to dump out my pillowcase full of candy onto the living room floor & trying to show my parents that yes, I had tons of candy, but I was a responsible young girl & they hadn't any reason to hide it, or freeze it or do other ridiculous candy rationing techniques. It was exciting!

Last night though, there was a distinct absence of this thrill - there were no distant sounds of children chanting 'trick or treat!'. My street was dead. The only people outside were people *waiting* on their front porches for children.

I sat on the front steps of my house, a large bowl of about 90 mini chocolate bars beside me - willing the children to come. Eventually a girl in her 20s walked by dressed as Little Red Riding Hood. I tried my very best not to sound creepy, but the words "Would You like some candy" coming from a stranger are almost always scary. She accepted the candy, expressed how disappointing it was that my street was so dead and wished me a Happy Halloween. Total number of kids to my door: 5.

Here's how dead my street was last night - ON HALLOWEEN!



The whole night I had the catchy part of this song bopping through my head.