Trick-Or-Treat

Trick-Or-Treat


“Trick-or-treat!”

“Hey, whatcha doing?”

“I’m trick-or-treating.”

“You don’t say. Wow, where’d you get all that candy?”

“It’s from trick-or-treating, silly.”

“Are you gonna eat it all?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh. Well, does it taste good?”

“It sure does!”

“I wish I had me some of that candy.”

“This is my candy. Get your own.”

“Hey, are you a queen or sumthin’? You’re all dressed up.”

“No, I’m a princess!”

“Oh. I thought you must be a queen to have all that candy.”

“It’s Halloween. Don’t you dress up for Halloween?”

“Naw. My Pa don’t believe in it.”

“Halloween ain’t nuthin’ to believe in, you just go door-to-door and get free candy.”

“Free? You don’t say. You mean people just gave all that candy to ya?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, geewiz . . . that’s plum amazing! Some people can be awfully nice, can’t they?”

“Sure can. Just look at all this stuff I got: chocolate kisses, candy bars, bubble gum, taffy, jelly beans, hey -- what’s this? That’s an apple!”

“It sure looks like an apple.”

“You want it?”

“Naw, what I want is some of that there candy.”

“You should dress up in a costume, get yourself a big bag, and go to each house saying, trick-or-treat.”

“Trick-or-treat, huh? You don’t say.”

“Uh-huh. You should try it.”

“My Pa won’t let me. He’d tan me good if he caught me beggin’. My Pa don’t believe in no charity.”

“It ain’t charity! It’s Halloween!”

“Yeah, well, Halloween don’t mean squat to my Pa.”

“I guess some people just don’t like free candy.”

“Yeah, I guess so. But I sure do.”

“Me too.”

“What’s your name?”

“Elizabeth.”

“My name’s Bobby. How come you came to my house, anyway?”

“Oh, I thought you were passing out candy, that’s all. Everybody else is.”

“Golly, no. There ain’t no candy at this house. Well, not unless you was to give me some, you know, ‘cos you got so much.”

“I know, and I’m gonna go get some more, right now. Here, you keep the apple. See ya around, Bobby.”

“Yeah . . . uh, nice to meetcha Elizabeth. Come by anytime.”

“Trick-or-treat!”

“Well, well, trick-or-treat right back atcha. You guys look like scary monsters or something. Do you got candy, too?”

“Yeah, we’ve been walking the neighborhood all night. I’ve got a whole pillowcase full.”

“Wow! Are you gonna eat all that?”

“Sure am! Every last piece.”

“You know, sometimes people get sick from eating too much candy.”

“Sick? Yeah, right. Is this house out of candy?”

“Never had none to begin with. I got this here apple, though. Ya want it?”

“An apple? Heck, no! We just want candy.”

“Yeah, I know whatcha mean.”

“Well, see ya. Happy Halloween.”

“Yeah, same to ya . . . Happy Halloween. Man, I gotta get some of that candy.”

“Trick-or-treat!”

“Well, trick-or-treat to you, too. Hey, is that you under that t-shirt, Bobby?”

“Uh, yeah, Mr. Pringle, it’s me.”

“What the heck are you supposed to be, with your t-shirt pulled up over your head?”

“I guess I’m the kid with no head and no candy.”

“Does your Pa know what yer doing?”

“Uh, no, Mr. Pringle. I didn’t see no harm in coming next door to say Happy Halloween.”

“And no harm done, Bobby. But, if’n your Pa sees ya, he probably wouldn’t take kindly to it.”

“I suppose not, Mr. Pringle. Anyway, Happy Halloween.”

“Same to ya, Bobby, see ya now.”

“Bobby? Is that you?”

“Oh, hi, Elizabeth, back already?”

“Yeah, I was on my way home and got to thinking that maybe you wanted some of my candy. Whatcha doing, trick-or-treating?”

“Naw, just walking around and saying hi to the neighbors."

"With your shirt pulled over yer head?"

"Yeah . . . uh, my ears got cold. You said something about candy?"

"Well, just that I thought you might want some, that's all."

"Why, whatever made you think that?”

“I don’t know, I guess I thought I’d come by and see if you wanted to pick something out of my bag.”

“Pick something? Really?”

“Yeah, you know, just one thing -- anything you want.”

“Gee, Elizabeth, that’s nice of ya.”

“BOBBY!”

“Uh-oh. Yeah, Pa?”

“It’s time to come inside now.”

“Okay, Pa. I'll be right there.”

“Quick. Pick something out and hide it.”

“Gosh, Elizabeth. I don’t know what to choose.”

“BOBBY?”

“Coming, Pa!”

“Oh, for pete-sake, here, take this Baby Ruth.”

“Wow, a chocolate bar? Are ya sure?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure. I gotta go. See ya later, Bobby. Goodnight.”

“G’nite, Elizabeth, and thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Every kid deserves a treat on Halloween. Bye.”

“Bobby, what are ya doing out here? It’s time to get to bed, boy.”

“All right, Pa. I’m coming.”

“Hey, hold up there. Why you walking so funny?”

“What duya mean, Pa?”

“I mean, you’re walking like some kinda pregnant woman or sumthin’. What’s a matter with you, anyway?”

“Nuthin’, Pa, I’m just tired that’s all.”

“Tired? Come ‘ere, boy.”

“Yeah, Pa?”

“Shake your pant legs out.”

“My pant legs?”

“Yeah. Shake ‘em.”

“Okay, okay, I’m a shakin’.”

“Whoa, what have we here? Can you explain this, 'cos it looks like you're not pregnant anymore?”

“What duya mean, Pa?”

“Well, that there’s a baby, isn’t it -- a Baby Ruth?”

“Oh, that. Uh, well, some nice girl named Elizabeth came by and gave it to me. You can have it, Pa. I don’t really want no candy no how.”

“Is that right? And all this time, I thought you loved candy. Well, I figure if somebody gave it too ya, then it should be yours. Here, you keep it. Now, get ready for bed.”

“Okay, Pa. Thanks! Thanks, a lot!”