Happy Halloween

Well, by now, the little ghosts and goblins should be soundly asleep, probably still dreaming about their fun ‘trick or treat’ outings AND hopefully have brushed their teeth thoroughly after gobbling up a whole year’s quota of candies! I always love handing out Halloween treats to the kids. This is the only night in the year that I get to see the neighborhood kids all made up in their elaborate costumes. There are certain activities that are governed by age, and ‘trick or treating’ is definitely one of them. Some adolescents have already decided that it’s too embarrassing (and not cool!) to knock on neighbors’ doors to ask for candies. I cherish the precious moments of watching my boy’s face turning strawberry-red, panting and sweating, waving his pumpkin bowl high up in the air after running through 10 different streets screaming, “Mama, mama, look how much I’ve got!”


Hehe, I don’t know if you’ve ever run into a situation like this : You try to strike up a conversation with the other passengers in an elevator (beats everybody standing like a wooden log facing the wall, right?) Well, the easiest way is to pose a happy question to an eager expectant mother, so you notice this woman who looks like she’s 5 months pregnant. You proceed to ask smilingly, “How many more months to go?” The woman is caught a bit off guard by your question, then realizes what you are thinking and subconsciously looks down at her tummy. When she raises her head up again, her face is written with displeasure and her eyes pierce you with disgust. At that moment, you just wish that you had cut your tongue off and there is a hole somewhere that you can stick your head in.


Ha, I guess one really becomes wiser when one gets older (either that or my last lesson was so embarrassing that I can’t afford to forget!) ...... Today being Halloween and all, it’s a big deal for kids in the school. Besides teachers and staffs, even some parents are dressed up in costumes (or so I assume). I run into another mother who normally looks pretty decent in a sense that her hair is neatly tied up, her clothes quite simple and low-key. However today she is covered up in this elaborate oversize black robe-thingy and her hair all frizzed up, soooo not her. I was this close in blurting out “Nice costume” but I quicky realized she is changing to a new look today. (Boy, what a day to pick to go to a hairdresser!) I am so glad that I swallowed my 'compliment' back just in time!

Hehe, lesson learned : no assumption but the truth. Happy Halloween!