October 31, 2009

White Dog and Steve organized the Halloween procedure before he went to class...in case any very young tykes Trick-or-Treated before their afternoon nap. Steve adjusted White Dog's pillow at the window so that she could lay unseen and watch TOTers approach the door and then pop up in the window barking and "scaring" them. They filled a big bowl with candies and set it on the porch table within easy reach of the door. They cleared the steps of leaves so no one would would slip. They turned on the porch light, the universal symbol of "Trick-or-Treaters Welcome." Then Steve went to teach and White Dog waited...and waited...and waited. Steve came home; he and White Dog did front yard chores in hopes of spotting kids heading our way. All afternoon the neighborhood was painfully quiet. Night fell. One group of kids approached; we could hear them yelling "Trick-or-Treat" but they crossed the street mid block and didn't come to our house. Our one and only costumed visitor, Spiderman, knocked, sending Steve and White Dog into a frenzy and rewarding the child with a more than generous handful of candy. At 9:30pm the bummed and disappointed duo turned off the porch light and joined me to watch a movie.