There are about 15 houses on each side of the street on our block. Just one side of the street, the one facing us, has a sidewalk. That side is the high activity zone during Hallowe’en beginning just after dusk. Noah and Nellie are dressed up and off we go into our first trick-or-treating adventure together. There we are - a polka dot dog, a two-legged giraffe and an uncostumed, roly-poly dad mixing it up with monsters, witches, robots, vampires and other scary apparitions.
Both kids are doing very well with the up and down stairs, making their way through crowds, saying their ‘trick-or-treats’ and ‘thank yous’. Of course they are both thrilled to be collecting all the goodies too - lots of chips and the odd chocolate bar. As treats are dropped in their bag at one door it is as if a magnetic attraction immediately begins pulling them to the next house. Perhaps this is an instinctual response hearkening back to our hunting and gathering days. Rows of houses on a grid system sure do make for easy pickings.
We see an old crone in her cabin on a front lawn with lights, smoke and spooky sound effects. It’s not enough to deter the quest for full bags of spectral loot. Both Nellie and Noah advance timorously, with caution and are rewarded with a double helping of treats from a smiling witch. We wrap up the block with nary a fall, and barely a fright. I manage to keep Noah in check and only half a house length in front of Nellie and I.
We turn a couple of corners and make our way onto a crescent for our next go at door knocking. The costumed kid population density seems to have doubled. They must be shipping them in from surrounding neighbourhoods. My People of the Bus buddies later report that they had visits from more than 160 kids.
We approach our first house in this new stretch of street and in an instant Hallowe’en is stopped in its tracks. There is a more powerful force at play. Noah is talking excitedly but I can’t make out what he is saying. Then I hear, “mon ami” - my friend. There is Ian in the flesh. I have heard so much about him but this is the first time we’ve met. Noah and Ian are dancing around, laughing and giggling on a stranger’s lawn. They are ecstatic at bumping into each other. It’s off to Ian’s house for a quick visit and introductions to other members of the family.
Ian and his mom then join us as we head back to our house. There is time for a cup of tea for the adults and some playing for the kids. Ian and Noah are both beaming and Nellie is tagging along. Ian is the first friend that Noah has chosen. They are inseparable at pre-school gravitating to each other in the morning when they arrive. Since mid-September they have become best buddies.
Just before the Hallowe’en excursion Noah looked up at me out of the blue and said, “I love Ian.” And that says it all. Down the road I may forget the costumes my beauties wore on this particular Hallowe’en but I think I’ll always remember the joyous encounter. It will always be the Year of Ian and Noah, of budding friendship, heartfelt delight and small boys’ laughter filling the air on a starry night.
