The leaves had turned to red and brown. They’d lost their summer’s green.
The night was clear but, oh, so cold. We call it Halloween.
I filled two bowls of candy for the goblins, ghosts, witches
and maybe even Frankenstein, with neatly painted stitches.
I wondered if I’d recognize those young ones in disguise.
Each year their costumes changed but not the excitement in their eyes.
I flopped down in my comfy chair and grabbed a Baby Ruth.
Sweets weren’t on my diet but that night I stretched the truth.
I grabbed a bag of Snickers and I dumped them in the bowl.
Then I opened up a Hershey bar and waited for the flow.
So far there hadn’t been a single trick-or-treater knock.
So I gobbled down two Reese’s, what the heck, then watched the clock.
Then someone knocked. I flung the door. There stood my neighbor, John.
He said, “I hope you weren’t asleep. Your car’s dome light is on.”
I really wished that he had hollered, “Trick-or-treat” to me.
But I asked him in and then we shared some pumpkin-spice hot tea.
‘Twas almost 10 before I finally heard my doorbell ring.
There stood two boys from just next door. Their sacks held not a thing!
The oldest hollered, “Trick-or-treat.” Then said, “We started late.
We were waiting for our mother. I think she’s on a date.
“She called, and said to come right here. She said you’d be the one
to brighten up our Halloween. You must be lots of fun.”
Neither wore a costume or a coat to keep ‘em warm.
Thank heaven they lived close where they could go home out of harm.
The oldest brother was in charge. The younger one held back.
I told the boys to step on in and open up their sack.
I dumped the bowls of candy I’d been munching on all night,
into the empty grocery sacks now filled up nice and tight.
The oldest boy yelled, “Thank you!” The youngest stood wide-eyed.
I watched them till they got back home, then blinked and almost cried.
The brothers and their circumstance brightened up my Halloween.
Seeing the oldest watch his brother was the sweetest thing I’ve seen.
The story doesn’t end right there. Those two kids spread the word.
And now at trick-or-treating time, two have become a herd.
