Day 1173 Options

 

Halloween Candy: Full of Options and Only One Trick-or-Treater!

All the Reese’s Pieces were gone before the little Ghostbuster arrived...thanks to Tim, but there was still a pretty good assortment of chocolates left. According to him, Heath bars are “a grandmother’s candy”… which makes sense, because they’re in my candy dish! Maybe I’m old school when it comes to chocolate, but I love a good old-fashioned Payday, Milk Dud, and yes — a Heath bar.

With only one trick-or-treater knocking on our door, it looks like the candy will be all for me. I think most kids go to the big neighborhoods these days, bypassing the few houses scattered along the main streets. I used to drive my kids out to my dad’s house for a quick hello, then hit a few friends’ homes before walking close to ours — knocking on familiar doors and gathering up bags full of treats.

My youngest was always the most eager to go, even on cold, rainy nights. He’d race from house to house while I followed close behind, trying to keep up. As I drove home this year, cold rain hitting the windshield, I was grateful at the thought of  staying warm and dry, but I couldn’t help missing those days.

I cooked dinner for Tim and me, waited patiently for a knock on the door, and sprang to my feet when I finally heard one. One little Ghostbuster, with his dad standing behind him...that was it. Not another knock all night.

Tim had dreams of dressing up for a party, but each year there never seem to be any great Halloween parties around. I keep telling him that if we really want one, we’ll have to host it ourselves. Maybe one year he’ll believe me.

We both settled in for the night, him watching basketball by the fire, and me happily home, enjoying my candy assortment. Well, someone’s got to eat it!

Halloween may look a little different these days, quieter and slower, but there’s a sweetness in that as well...pun intended.  Maybe next year, we’ll throw that party after all.....we could even get a black cat! One thing for sure, there Trick-or-treaters or not, there will always be a big dish of Halloween candy waiting, just in case. 

“Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.” — Steve Almond