Kids and Halloween

Halloween is fast approaching and I rarely see neighbors out with their kids. When I was a kid, it seemed like the whole lot of us spent the day out in the street. We'd race, hide in the woods, poke tar bubbles with sticks...we'd do anything but stay at home. I've seen three kids in the neighborhood so far: Sondra, who's G's age, but she alternates months between here and Ohio, Trevor, who might be 5 and doesn't live here and Peyton, who's an accquaintance of G's but she's too high maintenance, she drives me to distraction (if she asks for a Pop Tart and I oblige, she'll imediately change her mind. But no, now she's interested again but it can't be toasted, no, no but it must be warm). I'm dying for nieces or nephews to spoil, but God forbid I have to put up with picky kids.

I miss Halloween, marching up to the doors and seeing the parade of kids and watching the neighbors' faces. It gave you a true sense of community, to see the various ways folks would decorate their houses, ooh and ah over you or your little one. Right off Davis Ford Rd, one of the neighbors would solicit folks' pick up trucks, fill them with bales of hay and we'd caravan through the neighborhood, letting the kids check out each house and the neighbors would follow and shower them with candy. This year, like last year, we'll probably hit Fair Oaks Mall, though maybe, we'll hit some of the older neighborhoods. Long live Halloween, costumed kids (no candy for the mini Britney Spears) spooky houses, Milky Ways, Snickers. Not sure about that pumpkin ale, though.