HALLOWEEN HAPPINESS

“I found him!” I cried as I closed the front door and put the candy dish back on the foyer table. “I actually found him!”

“Who?” Steven asked as he came from the kitchen.

“The English Bobby!” I couldn't help but smile. “I can't believe I finally found him!”

Steven started to laugh. “That's been bothering you for years.”

“I know!” I sat down on the couch enjoying the few minutes I'd have before the doorbell rang again.

Alex came into the room taking a quick peep at the candy bowl. “Have you gotten a lot of trick-or-treaters so far?” He reached in and grabbed a Reese's peanut butter cup.

“I found the English Bobby!” I cried.

Alex looked confused as he unwrapped the candy. “I vaguely remember something about an English Bobby but I forget what happened.” He popped the candy in his mouth.

“I could never forget.” I shook my head sadly. “He's haunted me for three years.” I sighed as I thought back on that horrible Halloween. “Now in my defense, I'd had a long day at work that day.”

Steven laughed. “Every time you tell this story you always start out that way.”

“Well, I have to have some excuse.” I sighed.

“So what happened?” Alex asked as the doorbell rang again.

“Could you get this one?”

Alex sighed as he went and got the bowl. “Sure.”

When he came back from handing out the treats I continued with my story. “It happened to be a year of really rude kids.” I said.

“Or you were just tired.” Steven reminded me.

“Okay, fine. Maybe I was cranky that year.” I sighed again as I looked over at Alex. “Anyway, I'd been answering the door for an hour or so watching kids pushing and shoving each other and grabbing candy out of the bowl like the 'crane game' at the boardwalk! No matter how many times I said just take one they wouldn't listen!”

But then this one little boy came up to the door with his mom. He was dressed as an English Bobby. The costume looked homemade and it was beautiful.” I looked over at Steven who was nodding because I'd told him this story dozens of times. “Anyway, he reached into the bowl and had grabbed a few candies and I said, 'Take one' and right away he dropped the candy back in the bowl and began saying how sorry he was and backed off our front porch. That's when I realized he had special needs and I'd completely rattled him.” I felt like I could have cried again. “No matter how many times I told him it was okay and held the bowl out to him he just backed away.” I sighed. “I felt like I'd ruined his whole Halloween. I've been carrying around the guilt ever since.”

Alex just shook his head. “This was three years ago?”

“Yup, and every Halloween I'd hope I'd see him again. But I never did until this year!” I had to smile.

“How'd you know it was him?” Steven asked.

“He was dressed as a hamburger. He's taller and I didn't realized he had curly hair because he'd been wearing the bobby helmet when we first met, but it was the way he spoke to me that I just knew!” I smiled at Alex. “So I asked him if he'd ever been and English Bobby before. His Mom was standing in the driveway and she was the one who said he'd been one three years ago.”

“Wow! What are the odds that you'd see him again.” Alex just shook his head.

“So what did you say to the Mom?” Steven asked.

“I told her exactly what had happened and how sorry I was. Then I took a fistful of candy and put it in his bag and told him how much I'd loved his costume then and how much I loved his costume now.” That's when the doorbell rang again and I got up to go get the candy bowl but before I went to the door I looked at Steven and Alex. “Have I mentioned that this is the best Halloween ever?”

They both just laughed. “We're glad you're having a good time.” Steven called.