Trunks are no treat

Halloween 2026 is behind us now, and so are the memories we didn’t make. That’s because there was nothing special about this year’s Halloween. It wasn’t spooky. It was just sad. Not too many years ago, it was common for more than 130 costumed kids to come through our neighborhood. This year we had eight. More on the reason for that decline in a moment. Back when Pam and I first moved to Kernersville, we gave out plenty of candy to kids who lived on our street; meanwhile, parents from other areas of town would drive into our subdivision with vans full of excited youth in tow. I guess our block had a reputation for giving the best treats. Anyway, for several years in a row, I rigged up a scary, voice-activated genie by the front door. Pam would greet the kids as I hid inside, with a remote microphone, and conversed with each child. The genie frightened some of the kids, but they still asked for and received treats.

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