There is a ghostly number of trick-or-treaters out here in the city. Children are simply crawling out of the woodwork. Some of these houses must see nearly 200 kids. I'm glad my front light doesn't work -- I only have ten candy bars, I think.

So I'm sitting here on the couch, eating celery...

I've only been trick-or-treating once in my life. My mom made me a Little Red Riding Hood outfit when I was three and told me we were going to the apartment downstairs -- I didn't want to go -- and they gave me a piece of candy. Then we went back upstairs and took the costume off.

We didn't participate for religious reasons thereafter. Why go along with something rooted in worshipping the devil, with no possible Christian message to come out of it? (Which is tough to understand as a kid when the pastor's children did get to go out.) It seems like there was even one year I didn't go to the class party at school. One year when I was about five, we lived on a busy street and got herds of visitors, even with the porchlight off. We tried to avoid it by going up to the mall for the night -- only to find it's a popular place to trick-or-treat. I didn't really feel like I was missing out. We still had candy -- just not pillowcases full.

The Halloween debate for Evangelicals is still not one I've made a decision on, personally. I do appreciate the candy discount. And I do appreciate the adorable toddlers who will fill the empty spaces on page 2 tomorrow.

GRE QoD:

The frightened mother _______ her young daughter for darting in front of the car.
A) implored
B) extorted
C) exhorted
D) admonished
E) abolished

Answer: d