Maybe my expectations for the new neighborhood were too high. I got home in a manic rush after work, expecting the girls to be ready in costumes to fly out the door for the trick-o-treat-a-thon. To my dismay, they looked a little stunned when I arrived. My youngest was game. The oldest not so much. She had been camping all week & was burnt out I think. She ended up having a melt down and decided to stay home. She is only 11!! Missed out on the trick o' treatin'! I would have never ever!!! I can't believe she was okay with that. Anyway, she stayed & my youngest and I headed to the closest densely populated area. We live in a marina close to nothing but car lots & massage parlours. We headed a few blocks away close to a school. I swear all the houses are only 2 feet apart. I was expecting something out of a scene from E.T. Where there were kids everywhere taking over the cul-de-sacs, just thick of ghosts & ghouls. Not so lucky. Maybe it is Richmond??? Did I not get the memo of Halloween being cancelled?? People don't believe in Halloween in Richmond, I think.... must be.
But, it was 7pm & it was dead. DEAD. Where the hell were all the kids??? The area we were in was right across from an elementary school!!! I couldn't believe it. I pictured most people hiding in their back rooms sitting in the corner listening to their radios. Hoping no one would come to the door. Houses were pitch black. We are talking HUNDREDS of houses. We went to 4 houses in that area. The people participating in the candy giving were really really spread out! We spent a good half an hour just walking & walking HOPING that we would see some sign of a jack-o-lantern. Nothing! So sad.
So we went to another area. We saw a couple of other families so we pulled over & jumped out. Went to one home. The other crew was thick with teenagers & they were so loud. Hit about 4 more houses in a 6 block area! Then it was dead quiet. It was lonely & I got a little spooked after the loud teenagers went missing. We walked all the way back to the van. My poor little devil was a little depressed about how long it was taking to even fill half her bucket. I thought because it was so barren that people would just dump ALL their candy in her little waiting bucket. But, only one candy per house!!! I think we were in hell. For reals.
So once last attempt. We drive to one more area. By this time it is 8pm 'ish. It's getting late. This area we had a little more luck. We met another family (mother & 2 daughters) that kind of leeched on to us. But, they made us walk far ahead (but we are kind of fast walkers), then they would yell out "YOU SEE SOMETHING?". I'd giver her the heads up & they would either run up with us, or turn back around & head back. It was the strangest Halloween I have ever had. I noticed a few more cars would slow down when they saw us. Then a couple kids would jump out & look for houses to stop at & then load back in. Who does that?!!! I am not into the driving & stopping & searching. We are going to go back to our old 'hood in North Vancouver. It was so depressing!!! By the end of it, we ended up loosing our other family & we were all alone in the dark streets (picture above). We called it a night. Where were all the kids!!!???
It was not as fun as previous years. But it was a definite adventure. Some what of a treasure hunt.
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