The Witch and the Vampire

I'm upset that as a child I never got to celebrate Halloween. I got so jealous of American kids who got to go trick or treating. Sadly when I was growing up. If someone you didn't know offered you lollies, it was time to involve the authorities.

As a child I was fascinated by the idea it was totally acceptable  .... errrrr encouraged ...... to go from door to door, dressed as a telly tubby and ask people you didn't know for lollies.

When I was 8 or 9, I remember feeling ripped off that I was born in Australia, where if you went around asking for food, it's called 'begging'. I wanted to dress as Dracular, I wanted to bob for apples, or give apples to bob, or whatever you do with apples, carve faces in pumpkins and light candles in them. (Actually who would want apples when there are lollies around?)

Sooooo I really wasn't surprised by the knock on the door last night. What did grab me though, is opening the door to be greeted by a witch and a vampire.

Now either the Mormons were having a fancy dress party or I was being trick or treated. Turns out it was a couple of kids aged 5 and 6 who had just moved to Australia from the US and didn't want to miss out on Halloween. (I should point out that this info was conveyed by their dad).

Anyway as they held out the pillowcases they were using as lolly bags, and screamed 'trick or treat' I began to panic. I knew for certain there wasn't any chocolate in the house. I knew this because I'd eaten it all about half an hour ago. What. In God'sake could I give them?

I knew there were some dried fruit and raisins in the cupboard, but the kid inside me knew what crap tweets they would be. I rushed to the fridge - nothing. Well, there was a couple of bottles of wine and various condiments. Oh, and a 6-pack of beer for my friends.

I briefly considered giving them the booze, but figured dad would appreciate it more than the kids. And the unopened jar of marinated garlic seemed just as imappropriate (errrr vampire).

I looked at their faces and my heart broke. So I ransacked my place and grabbed whatever I could find.

The witch and the vampire ended up leaving with their pillowcases stuffed with 6 CDs, a digital alarm clock and a $39 JB HiFi voucher I'd received for my birthday.