Happy Halloween?

So I have complained about the kids that live in this neighborhood, and the way they treat Brian. One in particular will decide that Brian isn't worthy of his company, and he will purposely leave him out, and his cronies will follow suit. Then suddenly he'll come over and invite Brian to play, and help himself to two or three cans of iced tea from the garage, and a half dozen poptarts, under the guise of friendship, giving Brian false hope, only to knock him down again.

Today, Brian thought he would trick or treat with these kids. Apparently they discussed it on the bus, or he thought they had. Brian texted the main kid, and asked if he was leaving. Kid texted back that he was not. Then he proceeded to leave and walk right by our house. Then he had the nerve to come up to my door with his troupe, half of them not even in costume. At the age of nearly 14, that is just disgusting. I'm pretty sure they did the same thing either last year or the year before.

For some reason, Brian refuses to turn his back on this treatment and repeatedly takes it. If there was ever any doubt that the gum ended up in his hood at the hands of this particular crowd, that's pretty much been erased by what I experienced today. One has to wonder what it is to make a kid so nasty and yet so blatantly in-your-face about himself. Not to take him is one thing ... maybe they don't like him, and that's fine. But why come to my house? It's not like the neighborhood is small.

Anyway, Megan is at the Y swimming and so far the trick or treaters have been only the ditchers, and then Brian and his group. His group is sort of a motely crew, but they are also a crew with whom you always know where you stand, unlike the ditchers.

E is up to the usual. Sleeping over somewhere, doesn't know where, going somewhere, doesn't know where. I haven't heard and if history is any indicator, don't expect to. Perhaps in fact the difficulties I experienced back in May with Dr. NoCallBack were the fates' attempt to intervene.

But in other news, this will be a busy weekend between the two-day swim meet, the placement test tomorrow, and all the usual goings-on of the weekend. We have a lot of days off from school in the next couple of weeks, with elections, teachers conventions and Veteran's Day. And the next thing we know, it will be Thankgsiving, and then Christmas. And then Nationals. And then the school year will end! I can't believe it has flown by already. :-)

On second thought, I hate all kids. The doorbell just rang (no idea who this group was) and I gave them each two pieces of candy. Not one said thank you, but one said, "oh wonderful" when he saw what I was putting in his bag!! I really believe there should be a program like the Fresh Air Fund in reverse, where suburban kids have to go and live in the South Bronx for ten days. (amendment.. the first girls just came and they were friendly and polite; the previous statement applies to only boys!)