Too many tricks and stolen treats

Too many tricks and stolen treats

My little buddy, Oliver came to me this morning and wished me a Happy Halloween. I thanked him, but I knew he had something to say, as 8 year olds always have something to say, followed by saying even more. If you’re good, you can extrapolate and understand about 30% of the conversation. Oliver confided in me that he believed that ‘trick or treating’ was pretty much off the table for tonight. I took a very long sip of my coffee, which was a bit on the hot side, and it burned me, but I needed that brief moment to get myself together for what I thought would be an unpleasant conversation. Nobody really likes to have to deal with breaking an 8 year olds heart. That is rough, but now we had to have the conversation about Halloween, trick or treating, and the failures of our systems. I would rather have told him that his dog is ugly that would have been easier. In fact I know he would simply laugh at that and remind me that he doesn’t have a dog, the ugly one is actually my dog.

So we proceeded to have our conversation, in which I burnt my mouth several more times. He had come to tell me that he understood that this year; there would be no costumes, no bags of candy, no giggling and squealing with friends around the neighborhood. He was happy to be going to a church event where they were doing a movie night, and hot dogs and S’mores and even more. I explained to him that he truly isn’t going to miss out on the bags full of candy, because in our house we always have some.  That in itself is peculiar because the kids don’t really eat that much candy, but there are always snacks and treats, fruit and crackers, cheese and nuts, always what they like, not the candy that they really don’t eat. But of course, I understand the thrill of the hunt, I was young once, I remember trick or treating at the Flintstone’s house. But my little guy was dealing with this, standing tall, expanding to his full 4 foot, 1 inch stature and said it was ok. He understood Covid-19 and the impact associated with it and his responsibility to be a good person, better than many people who are well over 8 years old but can’t quite manage to act their age.

I had at first thought that I was being petitioned as an elder to open my grimoire and find a spell to cast. But that’s not what happened; I was hearing instead a statement of support and understanding.  For me it was as explosive as “Little Boy”, putting forth a statement for all to hear. My wife and daughter took all of the kids and painted them up appropriately, used whatever props were available to send them off to enjoy this kids holiday. Oliver was smiling and happy, knowing that nothing could stand in the way, that whatever came up, his village was ready for it. He was content knowing that although it was different, it was still going to be fun.

Children actually like a constant in their lives; they will tell you that they hate school, but taking away that schedule, that regimentation that they know is a normal part of life, rock their world. Children have 4 holidays per year that they look forward to, which are a part of their world as they envision it, holidays that truly celebrate children, holidays where children are spoiled and reminded that they are appreciated. Halloween is certainly high on the list, and Christmas, Christmas they day we celebrate the birth of a child by spoiling our children, Easter when we celebrate the renewal of life by spoiling our children, and of course the biggest one of all is their birth days, when we spoil them again. These are milestones in the lives of children; these are the days that they are acknowledged for being the special gifts in our lives. My children are willing and ready to forego all of the extras associated with these holidays, and offering instead to help others with theirs. My children know the deal, there’s no art in it, and they understand that we have been facing a pandemic, an economic freefall, as well as environmental disasters. They know that our society is in turmoil, that there are those who have and those who have not, and those who don’t give a damn. They know that there are hungry people, and children who may be friends of theirs that are doing without, because of a systematic failure to care. They know this already, even Oliver as the youngest knows this, and even Oliver has stood on the street corner holding his sign.

Children are resilient, they will survive what our society has done to them by its failure to act, but they are not ignorant, nor do they have issues with their memories. They will remember those who stole their Halloween candy, those who made their friends cry because Santa couldn’t make the stop, they will remember the people in their village that went hungry, while others ate at a table with too few seats. This they will not forget. They will not forget the failures of zoom, the attitudes of teachers, the lack of compassion, the absolute disconnect of our society to take care of our people, the theft of the pleasures of youth and the quiet enjoyment that they were promised.

I have to tell you that I’m proud of my little buddy, and his siblings, and his friends. And I have to warn you that you need not fear ghouls and goblins on this Halloween eve, but you need to fear all of those who you have failed, by your failures to act, by your failures to protect our village. Fear those who’s memories will last and who will ultimately take your place as you become nothing more than a mere specter of what you thought you were. Be afraid, be very afraid of the children of the Covid, for they will extract their due.