The Candy Safari

Decatur Halloween 'trick 'n treating' is a much more civil observance than I recall from the 1940's, (Washington Park) East St. Louis days. First, the RULE 'Don't stop if the porch light is NOT on'  seems to be closely followed by treat-seekers. Secondly, the roguish activities of window-soaping, burning porch bags of poop and garbage-can turnovers is reduced to very rare incidences and I truly believe that the large number of parents 'walking' the neighborhoods protecting their children serves as the major deterrent to those prankish activities. The adult in me is happy with this more genteel candy-begging stroll; my juvenile boyish recall still snickers deep inside guarding untold adventures of 'the devil-may-care-rides-again!'

I do notice one aspect of the annual parade of sugar seekers that I don't think is a better deal than back-in-the-day; today's treats are not nearly as delightful or filling. Today's glucose treasures are not those wonderful huge 'Baby Ruth' bars or the king size 'Milky Way' but instead something called 'Blow-Pops,' which explode upon saliva contact and release a terrible artificial syrupy taste that compromises one's taste buds until your Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, no more does a neighborhood have that special house that gave incredible homemade popcorn-balls covered with a sweet Carmel-like coating...nope, that lady gave up the 'ghost,' no pun intended,' because she just knew parents were tossing those goodies due to the wackos who cause periodic problem-issues with criminal activities of lacing candies with dangerous substances; what parent nowadays is going to trust anything 'unwrapped?'

The costumes today are absolutle terrific and costly. I suspect the fun of creating the homemade costume 'sunk' with the 'applebobbing' event!