treat no trick

 

Halloween night in 1985, we lived in O'fallon at the time. My Aunt Lisa and mom were putting the final touches on my costume. I wanted to be a black cat this year and black cat i shall. I was so excited, this was the first year i was able to really have my own choice in a costume. I was ready, finally done! My long sandy blond hair left curly and down, a pair of black cat ears on top of my head. Face painted with a pink nose and whiskers on my cheeks. Black body suit on, the cutest little black fluffy tail dangling from my bottom. Oh an i mustn't forget, this was the '80's now, my black knit leg warmers from top of foot reaching up to my entire leg. Feet resting in my little girl Mary Jane's. I felt so felinish in my new outer body, I'm sure i walked with a spring in my step.
The other two girls are now here. They are sisters, April and Sandy, i grabbed my pillow case and we were now out the door into the cool brisk night. Kids are running around all over the place, costumes of all sorts. We decide to start at the beginning of Runney Meade and work our way down.
The porch light is on and they have a wooden deck, i see my brother Rob doing a back flip off of the porch rail. He then walks up to me and says "She makes you work for your candy!" As he walks away, at this moment i just want to turn around and go back home. I am scared, the kids before me were all doing something for their treat. I don't know what to do, i have no talent. I'm shy, i never like any amount of attention to be on me. I feel as if this may have just ruined my Halloween.
We're up, it's our turn, April was in gymnastics so she did a flip and the splits so it was nothing for he. Sandy was in dance so she did a couple of spins and tapped her feet a bit, she went through like a breeze.
Oh god I'm frozen, now it's my turn! I have no idea what to do! I certainly can't do what they have done. So i hold out my pillowcase, in my frozen scared state and say "Trick or Treat." The woman laughs at me and says "Oh no, if you want a treat your going to have to do a trick!" God i stand there for what seems like an eternity with April, Sandy and this woman just staring at me.
All that i can think of is...
"Knock knock!"
She looks at me and smiles "Who's there?"
"Meow"
"Meow who?"
I hold out my pillowcase and say "Meow can i have some candy please?"
She laughs and places some candy in my bag. I was relieved and thankful that did the trick. I'm also thankful that for the rest of that Trick or Treating night this was the only "Trick" i had to do.