University of Virginia Library

Static Anticipation

Our large bowl of candy sat near
the door in static anticipation of its
dispersal as we pretended to watch
TV while waiting anxiously for the
first wild beast of deathly ogre. The
guys next door kept howling and
groaning, so we expected the show
to be imminent.

We waited. And waited.

By 8 o'clock we began to
suspect that the town fathers or the
local real estate chieftain had
cancelled or postponed the holiday.
People were on their porches,
gazing at the horizon, hoping to see
something at least resembling a
witch (not necessarily the resident
manager).

Suddenly, we heard a knock.
After all jumping at once, we pulled
ourselves together and mastered a
facade of claim that easily fooled
the perceptive kids. There were
four girls—about 13 or
14—disguised as bums (remember
what a good disguise that once
was who laughingly went through
the "Trick or Treat" ritual. Marvin
gave them a handful of candy,
offered them more, and off they
went.

Then, in rapid succession 3
more groups showed up. Exhausted
as this was making us, we kept
poised with baited breath as they
arrived. The neighbors sounded like
they were in their well-amplified
death throes. Out of the nine or ten
kids in those groups were about 5
costumes, 3 pseudo-costumes, and a
pseudo-chaperone.