Yeah, I Know It Was Monday Night, But I'm Just Getting Around To Thinking About It Now.

I thought I was clever. I stored leftover bags of food (over 250 bags of Goldfish, Pirate's Booty, and Popcorn) in my basement in anticipation of Halloween. Feeling a little wary, I also bought 6 bags of Skittles and Starbursts just in case. Last year, we had a few kids on a Saturday night, and my friends and I made a party about it. This year, however, it was a madhouse. Actually, it was a parade. The first kids came around 5:30 and it was a steady flow until 8:30.

Every time I sat down to concentrate on my laptop to get work done, Glamis would whine in her perch in the bay window, leaping towards the front porch with excitement that we had guests. This exercise exhausted her and by 7:00 she when upstairs and grimaced, "I'm out. You take care of these fools."

What caught my attention this year was two-fold. (1) I was rather excited so many people participated in the bizarre American tradition. It make me think that individuals are feeling safer about American than I have been feeling lately - with all the hate in this political campaign, I figured people would be cautious to protect their kids. (2) There seemed to be a lot more adults, not dressed, also walking up to the door trick or treating. I'd ask if they were collecting for a kid in a car or someone who was shy and they would respond, "No. It's for me."

Hmmm. Maybe they were grocery shopping. I thought it was strange.

I remember my father cut us off from trick or treating at a young age. Then, I thought it was strict, but now that I'm an adult I think, "Good for him." The number of teenagers coming around in the later hours was rather abundant. I could hear them screaming the entire way and I thought, "Um, shouldn't you be working?"

Different times, I guess.

For the young ones, though, it was a fabulous night. I love seeing the kids dressed up and hearing from everyone, "Oh, we always look at your house to see if your dog is in the window. It's so great to actually get to pet her." Glamis was very much a part of the distribution of candy/snacks until she through in the towel as if stating, "Screw these people. They're not bringing anything to me."

And I'm thinking Monday night is a bit much for Halloween. Just what everyone needs to kick of the start of a work week - an evening of more work toting your kids around or working the door. I didn't even dress up this year: too overwhelmed and exhausted to keep up with the idea of festivity.

But I participated, and that counts most.