I’d no sooner slipped into my costume and crammed the wig on my head when my neighbor called upstairs to me, “There are kids coming up the street.” 

     I applied my black lipstick and yelled back, “Holy cow, it’s not even six yet, be right there.” 

     Hurrying down the steps, I almost went ass over teacups when my witchy gown tried to gift-wrap my high heels.  However, I grabbed my cauldron full of candy and made it outside without injury in time to hand out the first Halloween candy of the night. 

     What a night it was!  For the next two hours, we never got a chance to catch our breath between large groups of kids of all ages.  My Bone-ified dog in the crate prop was the hit of the night.  Parents would grab their kids and drag them back to make sure they’d seen the dog.  You couldn’t hear the dog talk over the loud music but he looked as though he was singing along with it. 

     Strobe lights, black lights, strings of tombstone, pumpkin, and gargoyle lights, Meat loaf and Queen blasting from the CD player, the fog machine running full tilt, and the pumpkins had kids and adults grinning.  Dazzled by the display, we had to remind over half of the kids that we had candy to give them.  

     By eight o’clock, the ten and a half pounds of candy in my cauldron was gone, my neighbor’s basket had been empty for a half an hour, and my feet were killing me.  (I don’t often wear high heels.)  We were tired and pleased with the wonderful turn out we’d had.  This year, every child, teen, and adult were polite, appreciative, and just plain fun. 

     We’re already looking forward to next year.