Trick or Treat

Wow. I was rather surprised by the number of Trick-or-Treaters we had show up at our door last night.

ZERO.

We had our candy all ready to go on the first floor. Left the lights on. And nada. Not a one. Zero. Zip.

The next-door neighbor has one of those 8-foot-tall inflatable Homer Simpson dolls (doesn't everyone?) and he put that on his roof. But nobody came.

It was a little sad.

Remember the old days? Back when we'd get all dressed up in wierd costumes and just head out the front door. The parents would glance up from their triple scotches and slur, "Just watch out for the cars!" Ah, memories.

OK, I exaggerate. It was simple vodka.

Can't do that anymore, I guess. So many crazies running around, preying on kids. But is that really new? The internet may have made it easier for pedophiles to find kids, but I think the sick urge has been there for many, many years. Just look at the church.

When we stop to think about it, we really haven't seen that many children around the neighborhood at all. Just about all adults, walking their dogs now and then. No screaming children anywhere. Total bliss.

November 1, Dia De Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) seems more "normal." Rather than celebrating spooky and silly things on Halloween and stuffing yourself with candy (like American kids need any MORE candy?!), remembering those who went before us and are now dead seems like a much more civilized behavior. Maybe I'm just old.