For the first time in 9+ years I left the house on Halloween! Snuck out of work early, walked both dogs, did 45 minutes of search games, closed all the curtains, and cranked up the tv so Boyfriend and I could catch a puppet show!

There’s a house two blocks over, I love this house, the front yard is chaotic flowers caged neatly with a white picket fence that holds a blackboard with handwritten inspirational messages. For the last two weeks it’s been heavily decorated with skeletons, pumpkins and a note inviting everyone to their puppet show!

I like these guys and I wanted their night to be a success so I insisted Boyfriend and I add our bodies to the count – I was thrilled for them that we weren’t needed! The crowd was probably 20 wide and 6-8 deep.

Of course I pet the dog in front of me but in my defense, he started it. Which was good for the lady who rammed me in the back of the ankles with her stroller, I was so attached to the dog I barely shot any fire out of my eyes at all! Aaand, my mood was SO pleasant I almost helped the lady to my left who stated repeatedly, for a good 4 minutes, with her outside voice, how she couldn’t hear anything, too many people are talking, if they’d stop talking maybe she could hear, she even puzzled to others in her group “could they hear?” I’m sure my hearing’s good, didn’t miss a word she said.

But probably most concerning was the mouse! A petite Asian woman walked up with two small children. She lifted the larger of the two, ironically the giraffe, so he could enjoy the puppet show but she left the smaller one on the ground. Without thinking I stuck my arms out and told the little rodent “Come on, I’ll help you.” And wouldn’t you know, he stuck his arms up in the universal language of “pick me up.” So, there I stood holding this little boy child to watch the puppet show.

Now you might find this alarming that a mother would let a stranger on the street hoist her child in the air. After I had him well settled in the crook of my arm it occurred to me that I didn’t first ask if he’s house broken but even more concerning – WHEN DID MY FACE STOP SCARING CHILDREN!!

Maybe he just thought I was only dressed as a witch, it was Halloween after all.