"Honey!..If You're Going Trick-er -Treating Take the Kids With You."

"Honey!..If You're Going Trick-er -Treating Take the Kids With You."


"TRICK-er -TREAT!"
"OH MY! Superman, Batman and a Hobo are at my door looking for candy. And here it is past 9:30. Well here Superman, a shoe horn, and Batman gets an umbrella with a broken handle and for the Hobo,......let's see,....how about a pair of womens black pumps. Now kids, as I told you last time you were here it's late. Im out of candy. And you've already been here twice already! Wearing your capes backwards and smearing more dirt on your face doesn't fool me into thinking you haven't been here before. And, when all the lights in the house are out, and I'm answering the door in my Fruit of the Looms chances are pretty good you've gotten me out of bed. And you mister Hobo, aren't you my second oldest child Ian? That sports jacket you're wearing, with the elbows you've so cleverly cut out, I wore that to work this morning."
"You're right Dad it is me Ian." ( I lied. Thinking when it came judgement time it would be him that got the pain)
"Now back my car off the front lawn! Put it back where you found it. AND!, remove the Batman fins off the trunk, and my two rifles you've tied to the front hood. I'm not driving to work tomorrow having my Volkswagen Beetle look like that! And besides, I don't think you have a license to drive that car! Aren't you only 14?" (Ian was 16 I was only 12. Close enough! Two years less discipline)
"Dad, Batman was driving....."
"Enough!" he cried as a door suddenly appeared in front of me with a crack of thunder.
And with that announcement and some other inaudible, what I can only imagine to be as words of encouragement, Halloween had ended.
Superman and Batman were both glad they weren't me (or if I'm lucky Ian) that night. Why my Dad hadn't recognized these two superheroes as his two youngest was certainly a stroke of luck for them. So Batman, Superman and a hobo pushed and pulled the Batmobile back on the driveway. All the while analyzing the pros and cons of dad not actually telling us to get to get inside and into bed, but for the sake of our older brother it was probably better for him if we did.
I didnt know it at the time but that was the last year I went out trick-er-treating. The annual festival of all you can collect free junk food I had held so dear, had ended. The next year would find me in Grade 8, wanting to act like the kids in Grade 10, who wanted to act like the kids in Grade 12 who would still go out trick-er-treating but wouldn't be caught dead acting like a punk kid in Grade 8. A whole school of wanting to do.....but not. Cause let's face it, if you're giving out free candy I'm there. "Kids or no kids honey I'm off trick-er-treating!"
This for many was the first time of wanting to do something that you would be allowed to do by your parents that wouldn't be done. Your introduction to the guilt that comes with 'I would of, could of, should of done things different.' If only you'd known It was your last time trick-er-treating it would of been momentous! Or if we knew it was grandpas last Christmas, we should of had the family's all together. Or the hand shake could of been a hug and a kiss good-bye. If only you could of stopped in to see if the elderly widow next door was okay. Or you should of danced more when she asked you to dance to her favorite song. If only you could of known that it would be the last picture ever taken together. Or the trip we should of gone to Disneyland but was never taking because the Cancer was so aggressive.
Every day events taken for granted, totally unaware of the meaning they hold tomorrow. Events that are handled with enough attention at the time but fail, and fall short in our memories.
Over and over we're reminded of this very issue. We need to hug and kiss that loved one. Tell them that you care the specialists say. I did that to my Dad one time. Awkward! In hindsight I should of waited till he was out of the shower.
"There's a time and a place for everything! And that wasn't it!" he hollered as he grabbed for a towel.
Thing is though, there is only a time and a place for everything in yesterday. I know what and where I could of, should of would of done, said and been in todays past. And, we tend to beat ourselves up over it in the here and now.
With Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and all the celebrations and holidays around Christmas, plus now Halloween becoming so big, it's a season full of 'To Do'.
It's at a time like this I could quote my Dad. 'Enough!' ( I won't slam the door though). Enough,...just do enough to where your comfortable at this coming busy season. Life is not remembered by the breaths we take, but remembered by what takes our breath away. And that's something you can't plan to do. Enjoy the moment. Celebrate the past.
"Trick-er-treat!"
"Oh look honey,...a hobo. ..........again. What's it been Bob 40 yrs.?"
"42 I Think. Love what you've done with the entry Carol......"

Bob Niles



bobby did this