Joe the layer showed up at the door at 7; 00 sharp on Halloween night just as he promised. Since Mrs. Malchovich was busy with taking care of her store to make the last minute sale, she asked Joe the Lawyer to take us "trick or treat". When we opened the door for Joe the lawyer, all of us were surprised at his attire.
"What are you wearing?"

Lisa asked, sounded half angry and half excited with her curiosity.

 

  

         

 

"A Japanese ghost. I am a Japanese American, so I took this opportunity to express my identity. Nice to go back to my root sometimes. Looks like You guys are ready to go.Take each of these candy bags. We will make these bags filled with candies tonight. "

Joe the lawyer handed us the candy bags he had prepared for each of us.
"You have a candy bag for yourself, too?"

I asked Joe the lawyer since I saw him holding one extra bag written his name "Joe" on it.
"Yes. An adult should never lose the spirit of a child."

Joe the lawyer nodded with his own remark.

 

"This is a big bag. I could put myself in it!"

Getting excited, I held my candy bag up.
Joe the lawyer nodded again.

"Yes, always set a goal higher. Never settle for less. Remember you guys are representing "Mrs. Malchovich's Closet" tonight. I want all of you to behave well. When people open the door for you, don't forget to bow first and then say "trick or treat". When we leave, say "Thank you for the candies and you have a wonderful evening, Sir and Mam." OK?"
"OK!"

I jumped with excitement, but I was the only one who responded to Joe the lawyer's command. 
"Good. Now we have to reach 5 blocks by 7; 30, so let's get going. Follow me." said Joe the lawyer.

"Why by 7:30?" asked Kenny, pouting.

"So we can come back home early." answered Joe the lawyer.

"But why by 7:30? What if we couldn't be there by 7;30?"

Kenny insisted to know.

"Just follow me. OK? Don't keep asking why."
Joe the lawyer made us follow after him in single file.
"I wanted to go with my Mom....."  

I heard Lisa sigh and saw her shake her head.
"Oh. One more thing."

Joe the lawyer stopped.

"We eat candies after we get home. Don't walk and eat on the street. We can exchange our candies, but we can't take any candies except from your own bag."
"Stop making a rule. Suffocating!"

Lisa yelled at Joe the lawyer. Then I heard  Kenny mumbling to himself.
"Adults usually don't wear the costumes. They just make sure if the kids are safe......"

 

  

We knocked at the house 5 blocks ahead from our apartment at 7; 30.

At 8; 00 we were 10 blocks ahead just like Joe the lawyer planned.Our bags were almost full with the candies. Since most of the neighbors knew we were from Mrs.Malchovich's Closet, they praised at our costumes and our polite behaviors Joe the lawyer taught us. Some of them even wanted to take pictures with us.

               

 

At 8:15 we were in front of the last house to hit, the gorgeous mansion of Mr.Sullivan, who is an important figure in our neighborhood. We stood at the edge of the yard looking up the house and feeling a little intimidated.
"The Sullivans owns a private jet company and several hotels." said Lisa.
"Then they must have a bunch of Hershey's kisses and bubble gum for us!" delighted Kenny.
"People said they aren't nice. Plus their kid is a bully in school "added Lisa.
"Then we'd better go home."

All of sudden Kenny changed his mind and wanted to go back home.
"If they own a company, I am sure they have lots of candies for you guys. Look, the lights are on. They are waiting for us. Let's buzz them." said Joe the lawyer, patting Kenny's shoulder. Joe the lawyer escorted us right up to the doorstep and pushed the door bell.
"I am sure the Sullivan kid is also out doing trick or treating. He shouldn't be home."

I assured Kenny, knowing he was worried about the Sullivan kid being a bully.
"Then how come all the lights are on." said Kenny.

The lights both on the first floor and the second floor were on.

We stood in a row, feeling nervous, and waited for the door opened for us.  

But no one answered.
"This is a problem with a big house. It takes time to get to the door."

Joe the lawyer turned to us and smiled. He rang the bell again and corrected his posture. But again no response.  

" Shouldn't take that long ."

Joe the lawyer skeptically said to himself and pushed the door bell harder and longer.

Then I saw the lights in the house going off one by one. First the lights on the first floor went off and then went off the second floor.

"Blackout!"

I said, pointing at the lights going off on the second floor.
"They are turning off the lights and telling us to leave. I told you they weren't nice. "

I heard Lisa say calmly, so I looked at Lisa and asked, "Not blackout?"
"Let's go home. My feet hurt."

Kenny pulled Joe the lawyer's arm.
Joe the lawyer stood still in the darkness without a word for a while. Then looking up the second floor, he said to us, "You guys wait here. Don't move until I come back."

 

What happened afterward was like watching a movie or having a nightmare in my sleep.

 

             

 

 All of sudden Joe the lawyer started to climb the tree like a monkey.

 

It took no time for Joe the lawyer to reach the second floor. He hung on to the branch for a second, quickly swinged himself from the branch and then safely landed on the balcony.

 

 

After he gave us a quick look, he disappeared into one of the windows at the Sullivan residence.

A moment later we heard yell and scream from inside the house, but soon it became quiet.

 

   

 

 

I didn't know how long we waited outside. It might have been 10 minutes or might have been longer than 30 minutes. All I remembered was Kenny kept repeating, "I get bullied. I get bullied." and Lisa kept saying, "Shut up. Shut up."

 

 

            

 When the door in front of us was finally opened, we were all relieved to see Joe the lawyer standing in Japanese ghost attire holding snacks under his arms.

"I am sorry they forgot to prepare candies for you. They are hoping you would take these fiber cereals and snack bars instead."

Joe the lawyer said calmly, and without smile on his face he dropped them into each of our candy bags. 
 

 

 

"You guys have to tell me what happened last night."