Stories of Halloween

I Guess I'll See You Next Year

It was the morning of Halloween when Rhonda opened up her kitchen door, walked in and started cleaning. The boys had made a proper mess of things. Dishes were piled up, the margarine had been left on the counter and the bananas were so dotted with black and brown spots that they could barely be considered edible. And what was that horrible smell?

Rhonda sighed as she changed the garbage sack. There was a wicked crick in her neck and her back hurt. Such is the price of getting old she thought to herself. She took the trash out and threw it in the rubbish bin.

Mrs. Wiggins, from across the street, was doing the exact same thing. She had a gaggle of boys, too. Mrs. Wiggins was dressed in a baby blue bathrobe and slippers. She hadn't quite gotten her day going from the looks of it.

"Hello, Regina," Rhonda said. "How's Henry and Matthew?" Henry and Matthew were her two boys. They went to the same school as her Johnny, Mikey and Billy. They played football together and got on very well. So well that their families had spent many a summer day together having barbecues and swim sessions in the Wiggins' pool.

Much to her dismay, Mrs. Wiggins didn't return her cordial greeting. Mrs. Wiggins dropped the trash bag she was holding and it split open and spilled rubbish onto the sidewalk.

Regina Wiggins whimpered and ran back into her house with a look of terror on her face. "How very rude," Rhonda said, but then she thought better of it. "Don't be judgmental," she muttered to herself.

She remembered that Regina suffered from IBS. Irritable Bowel Syndrome. When she felt the need to run to the bathroom she had to go right away or an unfortunate accident was sure to follow. The IBS had taken it's toll on her poor neighbor. Aged her prematurely.

Being the good neighbor that she was, Rhonda cleaned up the trash that Regina had spilled onto the sidewalk. She decided that she would bring Regina a nice cup of tea later and find out if she was all right. But not until she finished cleaning that dreadful kitchen.

She filled the sink with suds and water and began cleaning the dishes. Most of he kitchen had been put back in order, but there was still a dreadful smell coming from something. One of the boys had probably dropped a piece of fruit behind the trash can. It wasn't unusual.

The clinking and clanking from her cleaning of the dishes awoke her husband Eddie. Eddie walked into the kitchen and he paused at the door. He looked at Rhonda for what seemed an eternity, but was actually no more than a few seconds.

The look on his face was one of bewilderment and worry. "Well hello to you, too, dear," Rhonda said. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "Have a seat and I'll make you a bite."

Eddie stood there in his boxers and white tee shirt intently watching his wife of twenty seven years. His eyes were wide and his wispy, white hair was out of place. He took a step backwards.

"Sit down if you want some breakfast, Eddie," Rhonda said again. Eddie took a step forward and paused. He took another sheepish step. "Sit down, you unusual man," she instructed him again.

Eddie pulled a chair out and sat at the table. Eddie's eyes never left Rhonda as she stepped over to him, bent down and kissed him on the forehead. Eddie's brow wrinkled in horror and confusion.

Rhonda grabbed a skillet that she had just washed and sat it on the stove. She walked to the refrigerator and shook her head when she opened it. "My word," she said. "I really need to go grocery shopping. It's as bare as bones in the ice box."

She pulled out an egg carton and opened it. There were only two of them in it. Clicking her tongue, she took the two eggs and sat them next to the skillet. She ignited the burner and put a wee bit of olive oil into the skillet. Before long the two eggs were sizzling.