Our Eventful Halloween

Halloween is very different to me now, than what it was all the time growing up. Growing up it meant visiting everyone we knew all over town, and spending as much time inside peoples homes catching up on news and warming up as we spent outside walking around. There was no fear...no worry of tainted candy or even worse, poisoned candy from someone seeking to inflict harm. I took for granted that when I had children, this special night would be the same. I'd catch up with friends...get candy along the way...and enjoy the night as I always had - in the company of friends.

But life has a way of taking you down paths you never expected, and this year we find ourself in D.C. on Halloween...miles away from the comforts of friends behind every door and open arms waiting to invite you in for something warm to drink and a bit of conversation. Personally I am a very trusting individual, but when it comes to my children I have zero tolerance for anything remotely unsafe. So this year our trick or treating took place during the day, at the Rockville, MD townwide celebration that was a mix of party and festival and trick or treating that was business sponsored.

Last night we expected to be low-key and uneventful, but unfortunately it didn't play out that way. At bedtime, Chase managed to get his fingers shoved in the part of the door that is hinged to the doorframe...and by the time we managed to get them dislodged from the door they were bending a way they shouldn't have and just looked completely chewed up. He was screaming and crying, so I took him to urgent care. Luckily an X-Ray showed no serious injury, but while we were there in the waiting room, we saw some terrible childhood accidents. One little boy about Chase's age came in with his frantic parents and he had an awful bite wound on his face. They had just been trick or treating when a dog that had been inside came running up to the door as the owner had opened it to give the little boy some candy, and the dog attacked him. I talked to the mother some as they were waiting, and they were just in shock over the situation. The dog attacked because the little boy was a stranger...and as rare as I'm sure that incident was, it just re-affirmed my belief that trick or treating at the homes of strangers is not a good idea. There were also other injuries that involved the same type of situation...strange home, strange surroundings, and accidents. So until we are back on base and know our neighbors thoroughly, we will stick to the town festivals and fall celebrations. Or perhaps I will just take the boys home to Oklahoma and that way the boys can have their traditional trick or treating and I can have the company of friends....Honestly, that sounds really good.