Trick Or Treat

To my son Tommy,

Between your great grandmother passing and hurricanes and power outages and getting back to work and the beginnings of a cold for everyone in the family, well we are drained.  We made no plans to go trick or treating and as I was coming home after a long day at work (as work days usually are after missing two days because of a hurricane) I felt bad about that.  You don't much like candy and it was too cold and wet to go trudging around the neighborhood, but I still felt you should experience Halloween in some fashion.  On my way home (I was already tasked with stopping by the grocery because you are responsible for snack at school tomorrow) I picked up a couple large bags of candy.  If we weren't going door to door, then we would at least give out some candy.  Our neighborhood sucks for trick or treating.  I think we were one of four houses on our block (both sides of the street) giving out candy.  All we can do to change that is put on our porch light and dole out some treats and maybe next year more will join.  Your mother and I had been known to hide in the house with lights off in past years.   The last couple years we were absent because we headed out to family parties in better trick or treating neighborhoods.  But come hell or high water, those people who braved the cold dark night were going to get candy at the Downey household, at least till 8pm.

So you and I sat out on the porch.  You were such the gracious host and wished everyone a Happy  Halloween! and generously doled out a few candy bars and pointed everyone to the bucket to pick out what they liked.  You were so excited to see the next batch of kids come and even in the last half hour of sitting outside, you held out hope for one more round of trick or treaters.  I probably should have had you inside where you were warm and away from the elements, but instead I armed you with your jacket and a smile and some holiday phrases and a bucket full of candy and a daddy's hug to keep you warm on our front porch.  Tomorrow you head into school in costume (if daddy can successfully wrestle you into the costume in the morning) and can experience a bit more of the Halloween holiday.  As for now you are fast asleep with visions of kids in costume and dancing candy bars running through your little head.  Happy Halloween!

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo