Right about now I would be home, not my new one where my school is at, but the one where my parents are presently getting the bowl of candy ready for the early trick-or-treaters. I would be finishing the last few little touches on my costume to make it absolutely perfect and then I'd put it on. Once I am dressed, my mom would be taking my picture as I eagerly wait for my friends to arrive so we can go trick-or-treating. We're excited because we are finally old enough to go alone! When my friends arrive my mom wants to take more pictures, but this time with all of us together. I run upstairs to grab a pillow case for the candy I will soon be collecting and we all head over to my neighbor's house as we do each year.

I always get my first piece of candy from my neighbor's house. Aside from the few pieces, I would secretly take from our candy bowl when my parents weren't looking, but shhh... they don't need to know that. After chit chatting for awhile, it is time for us to start our journey around the neighborhood. My mom smiles, tells us to be safe, and sends us on our way.

We walk almost the same exact route each year. We hit each one of our favorite houses which consist of the one with the hot fries, the one with the juice boxes, and obviously the houses that give out the BIG candy bars. As we walk we remember the two rules:

1. If the lights aren't on at a house, do not bother them because they probably aren't giving out candy

2. NEVER go inside a person's house

We cheer as we come across the homes which have an unattended bowl of candy sitting on the front step. We take handfuls of candy and run away laughing. Sometimes we even come across haunted houses that you have to walk through in order to get a piece of candy. We really like those.

Each year we are sure to stop by my aunt's house to say hello. My aunt usually wants to take photos as well so we stand and pose for her. After getting our pictures taken we will talk for a little bit. I will introduce her to the same friends I introduced her to last year. My aunt and her friends will give us candy and we will make our way back home.

Once my friends and I get back to my house we sit in the middle of the living room floor and dump our pillow cases. We check each piece of candy (other than the ones we sort of checked on our journey and ate, but were really not supposed to do that) and we throw away all of the opened or unwrapped pieces. We put aside the kinds of candy we don't like for later so we can trade each other. We snack on a few more pieces of candy and sit back and relax.

I put my candy in a bowl, but of course a separate bowl because I don't like to share with my brother. Eventually, my friends' parents come and as each of them leave I am a step closer to being alone. By this point, I am exhausted from walking so much and my stomach kinda hurts because I ate one too many pieces of candy. I don't hesitate to take off whatever uncomfortable attire that came with my costume and put on some pajamas. I am more than ready for bed.

Fast forward to a bunch of years later and here I am. I am a college student reminiscing about the past, trying to come up with a way that I can pass as at least 12 years old. Why? Because who could pass up dressing up and getting free candy? I suppose I could dress up to go to a party, but I'm not going to do that. Instead, I am sitting here in a last minute nurse costume I pulled together handing out candy with my dog that I dressed up as Pikachu. It's Halloween and I'm not ready to grow up.