Trick-or-Treat

Growing up, Halloween was the one day out of the year where I could get free candy, as much as I wanted, of all different varieties. Since we lived on a farm, our nearest neighbor was a few acres away, so we always drove to my aunt's neighborhood to do our annual trick-or-treating. Every year, this petite elderly lady always gave us caramel apples. My brothers and I didn't like going to that house very much. Who wants apples anyways? The best house was my aunt's house. We'd knock on her door, and my uncle would answer with an "oh! Boys, I thought you were going to wear your costumes." We'd laugh, and then we'd go inside for the good stuff. My Aunt Dottie knew exactly what treats my brothers and I enjoyed. Not having children of her own, she treated us more like sons than nephews, and my Uncle Walt even accompanied my parents on our neighborhood trick-or-treat raid.

I can't remember a Halloween when I wasn't either Superman or a football player. I was the child who knew exactly what costume I was going to wear long before October even came around. I didn't want to be Snoopy. I didn't want to be Batman or Captain Kirk. I was Superman. I was a Pittsburgh Steeler. There was no further discussion.

Is it possible that this fascination with one particular costume is hereditary? Tomorrow night, I'll be taking, what else, Superman trick-or-treating. Since we live on a farm, we still take Aaron to the same neighborhood that I trick-or-treated in for so many childhood years. My Uncle Walt still answers the door when we arrive. He looks down at Aaron and says, "where's your costume?" and Aaron laughs at his joke. My Aunt Dottie still has the best candy in North Carolina. It's honestly like going home again. The route's gotten bigger. We take Aaron to my in-laws' house, my mom's, and my dad's, but it's not trick-or-treating unless it's done walking along the same streets I walked down as a kid; hugging my candy bag close to my heart, my red cape shining behind me like I was actually Christopher Reeve.

To add a little "really?" fact to all of this, Katie's grandmother lived in the same neighborhood for a couple years in the 70's. Katie also trick-or-treated there during those years. I don't know if we ever passed each other, but it's an interesting thought.

If you're curious, Aaron's been Superman now three times. He's been a football player once. He already said he wants to be a football player next year. I am rubbing off on him....