Seems as soon as I wrote about no trick or treaters, they started coming. There was a small bunch, followed by a lull during which most trick or treaters were marching in the Halloween parade in town. Then there was a steady stream. They stopped by 8 o'clock. That seems rather early. I'm glad they weren't ringing the doorbell until all hours, but I'm surprised that Halloween ends so early nowadays.
Actually, there were a few things going on in town for Halloween. Boonton Main Street also held a Howl-O-Ween parade a coupla Saturdays ago: you dress your dog (and yourself, if you like) up for Halloween and parade down Main Street.
There were 72 trick or treaters in all, give or take a few. I think there were a coupla repeat offenders in the bunch, but I can't be sure. Alas, there's still a lot of candy left over. Did I not give out as much per kid as last year? I was consciously trying to give a big bunch o' candy per kid. I think, unconsciously, it ended up that the littler the kid, the more candyI gave them. Did we buy too much this year? Kevin tells me (just yesterday) that his goal each year is to buy more candy than I give out. Well, buster, you just wait 'til next year!
I recognized a few visitors as young patrons of the library. One such trick or treater saw Kevin sitting on the porch and asked, 'Is that your boyfriend?' 'No, that's my husband. My boyfriend lives in town.' I don't think she knew what to believe.
One young neighbor, who is one of 12 grandchildren (maybe 13 by now), came over early with two younger cousins. He said he was taking them around now bc they're little and have to go home early. He said he loves how we give out lots of candy, that he would be back to trick or treat for candy for himself, but could he have a candy bar now and get the rest later? Last year, he and his sibs stopped by when I was opening the bags of candy and mixing them up. He weasled an agreement by which he'd open and mix the candy and get paid in candy for his troubles. This particular young neighbor is young enough that he hasn't really developed any follow through on his schemes. So he pretty much just sat there on the porch with us, eating candy. Now that I think of it, I don't think he ever did finish opening and mixing the candy; I think I ended up doing it anyway. Maybe he knows exactly what he's doing; he often gets the better end of the deal somehow.
I hadn't yet seen a coupla other young neighbors, a sister and brother - or at least I thought I hadn't seen them yet; maybe I didn't recognize them. But when I saw the scary kid with the black robe, white mask with bloody tongue hanging out and the buzzing chain saw in his hand, I knew that was Danny. Danny looooooves power tools. He weed whacks our lawn a coupla times per week during the summer. He's dying to start cutting lawns for money. He might be old enough next year; he's still young enough that his dad walks with him when he mows the lawn.
Most of the kids like it when Nosey's there to see who's at the door. Sometimes he gets scared and runs away, but he never goes very far away, simply bc he's just too curious. There were a coupla kids who were afraid of cats.
There are a fair number of adults out there who are afraid of cats, too. Some think cats - and all animals - are dirty. I think most people who don't like cats feel that way bco (a) misunderstandings about cats and (b) cats freaking them out. People unfamiliar w/cats don't know how to read them. One person saw Nosey wake up from a nap and make that big stretch like your classic Halloween cat - back arched up high - and she asked me if he was going to attack her baby now. Uh, no, he'll probably settle back down to sleep. One friend doesn't like the way cats look, like they're always up to something. And like they're always watching you, even when you think they're asleep, they're alert.
Of course, I find all this very hard to believe. How can you not love or at least like a cat? They're beautiful, soft, cuddly, independent, personable,...all manner of good things. The grammar school I went to held a coupla book fairs each year. My youngest older brother was sick for one of these fairs so my mom gave me some money to buy a book for him. I bought him a big picture book, 'Cats'. My mom was disappointed; she told me I bought something I would like, not something he would like. How confusing...how could someone not like a big book of cats?
One man came by with his little girl. He'd grown up on the next street and he missed the neighborhood feel. He now lives in Boonton Township, which is next to Boonton (and quite a bit tonier; Boonton is called 'Boonton' and Boonton Township is called 'the township'). I think there the homes are farther apart and there aren't as many sidewalks, which makes trick or treating a little more difficult and less safe. I also think it makes it hard to get to know your neighbors very well. Of course, their kids go to a very good school system (in Mountain Lakes, even tonier still), they have bigger yards, etc. So there are trade offs. Now, I've complained about the wack Joannes in the neighborhood (one behind me, one across the street), but I think, overall, I'm pretty happy here. I don't like the neighborhood as much as when a buncha original (from our pov) neighbors were still here, but maybe that's my fault, maybe I don't make enough of an effort with the neighbors that are here now.
Ah well, all in all, I guess it was a successful Halloween. I don't know if 72 kids is high or low, since this is the first time I even tried to count how many kids come. The man I just mentioned said his parents would get upwards of 200 kids stopping by on Halloween. Now that would be glorious, but I'm afraid those days might be over. Last year, I was pleased when three boys stopped by and, after I'd given them their candy, the one says to the others, 'We hit the jackpot at that house!' This year, one boy turned around to his father and said, 'Dad! Lookit! I'm in heaven!' My work here is done.
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