New Halloween

I took a swallow of Miller Lite and unwrapped a miniature Hershey’s bar from the trick or treater’s stash.

“Hey” Don said, “Isn’t there enough food set out already? Do you want to steal all the candy for the kids?” He pointed to the table behind him. There was quite a spread of chips, pretzels, dips, veggies, tomato pie and other snacks. His wife, Joanne, and my mom were sitting at the table chatting, with a handful of other friends moving in and out of the kitchen. A Halloween party here was a long standing tradition.

“Forget them.” I answered. “When Tommy and Cody come back, Tommy’s gonna trade all his chocolate to Cody for all his sugar based candy. There be nothing left for me, I gotta get it now.”

Don lauged. “Yeah, well it’s been a while since you’ve went out yourself.”

I finished the Hersey bar and took another sip of beer. “A while since I’ve been trick or treating anyway. The last time I think I was an alien. My green bathrobe and a blue headed, big eyed bald alien. It was a rubber mask that covered my entire head, and I was sweating like crazy.”

Don laughed again. “You, your brother, Stan, Steve, Scoot, Erin, Mandy. I took you all out then.

“All of us that went then are too old for trick or treating now. Cody and Tommy were too young. It was weird enough when I started to help take the younger crowd out with you. Now I’m way too damn old and those two are going out by themselves.”

“You’re too old? How do you think I feel sometimes? This is the first time in around twenty years I’m sitting around here instead of walking around out there.”

“Well, at least being older means being allowed to have a few beers.” We both laughed, and a bum and werewolf burst through the front door.

“Hey guys!” Don called. “How did it go?”

“Great!” answered Cody the bum, fake beard carefully drawn on and plastic bowler hat perched on his head.

“Yeah, great!” Tom echoed, peeling off his werewolf mask. He was sweating like crazy. We had an argument a few days before when Tom asked me if I would rather be a werewolf or a vampire in real life, and I couldn’t decide. Tom’s supernatural alliance was clear. They both hurried past us to the living room, carrying pillow cases bulging with candy. I knew they’d dump them on the floor, compare their loot, and trade each other for their favorite pieces.

“Why didn’t that development get built when I was a kid? How many new houses are there now?” I asked.

“Probably about a hundred” Don answered. “It was just around the block for you, and that development across the street was just an empty field.

“Lucky kids these days.” I muttered. We both lapsed into silence for beat. I took another Hershey bar.

“How’s the new job at the law firm going? Do you like it better than the landscaping?” Don asked.

“Well, not really. I like working outside much more, and now I’m just sort of chasing paperwork around a desk all day. The pay’s better though, and it’s better long term. I don’t have to plow snow during the winter after the landscaping shuts down. Plowing snow sucks.”

“What do you do there?”

It’s a mortgage foreclosure law firm, a pretty big one. We work for the mortgage companies themselves, and I just prepare some of the paperwork that some of the lawyers will use to take to court. I’m learning about the whole mortgage industry, and a little about law to.

“Well, it sounds like you made the right decision.” Don said.

“I hope so, I guess I’ll find out. I’d think I’d rather be out collecting candy.” I drained my Miller Lite. “Hey Tom, are you going to save anything for me?” I called out into the living room.

“It depends. When are you going to admit that werewolves are cooler than vampires?” Tommy’s voice floated out.