Halloween. By definition, that means mischief is surely to be afoot. I know this, and yet it came as a complete surprise to me as I was surrounded on all sides by mischief.
Trying to coordinate four teenage girls to get ready for trick or treating is a task best left to professionals. But as I don’t have any professional costume dressers at my house, I was left to deal with it on my own. The original plan was to meet their friends at six to trick or treat, but things being as they are with teenagers; we didn’t leave the house until seven. This wasn’t a problem, however, because their friends weren’t ready until seven anyway.
Teenagers.
So the plan—the third or fourth plan anyway—was to meet the rest of their friends at a local Wendy’s restaurant and go together to the designated trick or treat location.
As we made our way to Wendy’s, we had a brief scare as a police car blew past us, sirens blaring and lights flashing. Before it passed us, we had the fleeting worry that we were the intended target—being pulled over for some unknown reason.
But it wasn’t us.
The police car turned down a nearby road in pursuit of someone, and we pulled into Wendy’s.
We parked, so one of the girls could run in and use the bathroom, and another could grab a burger. Their friends (three boys that we knew very well) were standing outside waiting, leaning against their car. They had arrived just ahead of us, and were anxious to get going to the candy collecting.
Unfortunately, they weren’t going anywhere.
While the girls were inside Wendy’s the police had surrounded us, blocking the boy’s car, as well as mine, in.
Apparently, there had just been a crime committed by two teenage boys who then fled the scene on foot, and the police suspected the girls’ friends were involved, and by extension, possibly the girls.
And by extension…me!
It was a tense few minutes before my skills as a rational adult prevailed and I was able to convince the police that we had, in fact, just arrived and had nothing to do with any crime. The boys weren’t so lucky, and I couldn’t do anything to help them. They were on their own, and with a little luck, and hopefully the truth on their sides, they would be released soon.
With my hands and my insides shaking, I dropped the girls off at the trick or treat spot and reluctantly waved goodbye. I knew they were perfectly safe in their group of friends (a pack of teenagers is almost as lethal as a pack of coyotes!) And I made them promise to check in every few minutes until I felt comfortable.
They checked in frequently to let me know they were safe, and once just to let me know the boys had been released and had met up with them.
I didn’t really relax until they made it home a few hours later.
This whole Halloween thing was a lot easier when they still dressed up as superheroes and princesses and didn’t leave my side the entire night.
Time sure flies when you’re raising kids!
Now I’m ready for bed…and ready to move on to the next holiday on the list. As much as I love Halloween, I’m glad it’s over.
Until the next time…I’ll be cleaning up a whole lot of spider webs and skeletons!