Published: October 11th 2021, 2:42:11 pm
Continuation of the neighborhood terror series
Note: I've jumped forward in time for this part to Halloween, so we're finally circling back to this month's theme! I'm drafting out this story piecemeal because the existing free-writes covered different parts of the timeline. Part 5 with the walk to the park was actually rather explicit compared to the rest so I *may* drop it. What do you think? In any case, I have some decisions to make to make everything work together. Cheers!
I whined into my pacifier as I was led down the street by my toddler harness
"Hurry up, kiddo. You're gonna miss all the candy!"
I was too embarrassed as I saw the shapes of all the other neighborhood kids walking from door to door - the ones I had bullied so much before I got suckered into this life of diapers and baby treatment.
Please don't see me, please don't see me, I thought to myself huddling close to Daddy and hurrying to keep up. Luckily the first group was too excited to notice as they walked right past us. A ghost. A skeleton with a pumpkin head. They were all looking into their bags and exclaiming with joy - or disappointment - what they had gotten. None of them even looked our way. I let out a sigh or relief as I turned to face forward again and bumped right into Daddy, who had stopped.
"Oof!" I fell onto my butt and reflexively began to sniffle. When had I become so sensitive?
"Oh, sweet pea, are you okay? Maybe I should have gotten my stroller," said Daddy, looking genuinely concerned. I thought at first he was making fun of me but then I realized he actually thought I could be hurt. I stood up and wiped my eyes with the back of my arm.
"No, I'm okay," I said, forcing myself to calm down. I wanted to show him I wasn't a baby, and especially not a crybaby.
"Alright," he said, but he still went about patting off the dust from my bum and checking my palms. I looked away in embarrassment as he did so.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," I said, yanking my hands away.
"Okay, okay," he said, chuckling. "You're my brave little boy."
Damn right, I thought.
"How about you show me how brave you are and walk up to your first house, huh? Do you think you can do it all by yourself?"
I looked over and saw that we were standing in front of a house. Suddenly my legs felt like ice. But I wanted to show Daddy I was brave. I was so conflicted. I made up my mind, however, to do it. But only after asking to stay home one last time.
"Daddy, do I have to?" I asked.
"Yes, you have to, kiddo. It'll be good for you. It'll help socialize you, and look - all the other kids are having so much fun! Now will you stop worrying about what people will think and just do it?"
I looked around. Yeah, everyone else was having a lot of fun, but they were all kids and I was a grown-up. Or at least, I was supposed to be.
"Go on," he said, nudging me forward. I took a few tentative steps, feeling my legs tremble like bambi's first steps. I made it about half way, looking back at Daddy each time for reassurance, and getting and encouraging wave of his hand to go forward.
I was about halfway up when I looked back and saw he was talking to another parent. And a bunch of kids were walking my way. I chickened out and ran back to Daddy, avoiding the kids by running through the lawn.
"Whoah, there, sport!" he said, as he suddenly found me clinging to him for dear life. "Hehe, well, looks like he's too little to go up and knock on the door himself. It was nice talking to you, Marta."
"Oh, the pleasure was mine," said my nosy neighbor, looking at me with her vampire red lipstick parting in a smile.
"Come on, kiddo," said Daddy, leading me by the hand toward the front door. We passed the trick-or-treaters, who giggled and pointed when they saw me before running off. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the embarrassment to die down as I followed Daddy, but of course it didn't.
On the front porch he coached me as if I had never heard of trick-or-treating before
"... And then you say Trick or Treat!! You got that kiddo?"
I sighed a shuddering breath, gulped, and nodded, knowing that I didn't really have a choice.
"Can you knock on the door with me, little guy? Come on now, one. Two. Three!"
The door open and we both said, "Trick or Treat!"
"Ohhh, and who do we have here?" asked the friendly scarecrow who answered? "Is this little Bobby who's dressed as a little monster?
I looked down at my outfit and blushed. Daddy nudged me.
"Hello, Mr. Neidermeyer," I murmured. He had been my history teacher in high school, and one of the only ones I halfway liked. He actually believed in me and offered to write a letter of recommendation to college, but I blew him off. He was always friendly when I passed by and I actually purposely avoided his lawn when I was skateboarding.
"Hey kiddo. It's good to see you. Look how much you've grown." The irony in that statement was palpable.
"He's the neighborhood terror," said Daddy.
"Oh yes, very scary," said the friendly scarecrow, not looking scared at all. I just kept my head down, too embarrassed to look him in the eye.
"This is his first time trick-or-treating," said Daddy. "In fact, this is his first house! I told him we're not going to stop until we've filled the pillowcase all the way to the top!"
"Is that so?" asked the man with the candy. "Well, I'll tell ya what, I'll give you two mini giggles bars. How about that?"
Plop, plop. Into the pillowcase they went. I looked down into it. I had so far to go from empty.
"What do we say, Bobby?" Asked Daddy.
"Thanks Mr. Neidermeyer," I said, blushing again.
"You're welcome, kiddo. Have fun trick or treating!"
"Thank you," I said, finally looking at him. His reassuring smile made me feel a little bit better. Still, I regretted disappointing him. Who else had I disappointed?