To the Halloween thieves...Boo

When my kids were small, and we trudged around the neighborhood, seeing Halloween through their wondrous eyes, two of my neighbors sat together in one driveway, passing out candy and enjoying adult cocktails. I told them that one day I would be able to join them, and several years ago I did. Eventually, they joined us in our driveway, food was added, and more neighbors joined the circle.

This year my neighborhood is different. Gone are the first couples who started the trend. Our new neighbors next door who joined us last year inquired on whether or not my driveway would be open. I hemmed and hawed. I got sad thinking about my neighbor who arranged the previous year's gathering with such joy, and who had us laughing with his silly costume. He got sick two months after Halloween and died two months after that, and it just seemed too much to continue the tradition.

Then an impromptu visit from friends from Indiana and a couple of trick or treat aged children changed my mind. I set up chairs in my driveway, my friend made some cocktails, and one by one the neighbors trickled in. We handed out most of our candy, admired the costumes, and had a lot of laughs. It was a nice evening.

Darcy dressed up and went out trick or treating with her friend and her younger brother in their neighborhood, but she returned in time to join our next-door neighbors for a small party. She left the canvas bag full of her candy haul between my chair and a cooler.

Since the neighbors around us were turning off lights, we decided to call it a night. Tom wanted us to walk down to see the neighbor's haunted house. I felt we should clean up first, and we did, leaving only our chairs, Darcy's bag of candy, and our left-over Halloween candy on top of a cooler. At the last minute, I went back and collected my phone and keys. Tom pooh-poohed my worry of thieves.

When we returned home, we had been robbed. Someone drove by and stole our bagged candy and Darcy's canvas bag, which also included a make-up bag full of expensive cosmetics. Suddenly our lovely evening wasn't so great. I felt violated. I mean, really? Take the candy on top of the cooler, but don't take a canvas bag clearly hidden. That's a crime, and it left a foul taste in all our mouths.

Thankfully, the thieves did not enter our house despite the front door being left wide open. My friend's husband was inside, but he was sound asleep in the bedroom.

We discussed it and then let it go. We didn't need the leftover candy. We hoped the thieves felt crappy when they discovered her bag contained personal items.

The next day my neighbor across the street gave Darcy her leftover candy and a hug when she heard what had happened, and we realized that good neighbors and good friends will always triumph over ugliness.