Boo

Here's a glimpse into my idyllic suburban lifestyle: Ever since the first Halloween in our current house, our neighborhood has done this cutesy little "game." First, you prepare two or three bags of goodies and little "ghost" drawings. Then you go drop a bag of stuff, along with a ghost drawing and a little poem about how you've been "haunted," on somebody's doorstep. Then you ring the bell and run.

The recipient is supposed to take the candy and tape the ghost drawing to their front door - so as to avoid multiple deliveries to one house - and repeat the process. It's kind of like a Halloween chain letter.

Anyway, the process has gotten more elaborate as more and more of my neighbors have had kids, and it's turned into somewhat of a production. It seemed like Katy and I were doing a lot of legwork and getting little out of it - I mean, how many pumpkin and ghost shaped erasers can you really use? So last year I decided to start a little different exchange.

I drew up a little ghost with Xs for eyes, dashed off a cheesy poem about drunken ghosts visiting your house, and dropped off six-packs of beer on a couple neighbors' doorsteps. I am pleased to report that this tradition seems to have survived another year, as I found a six-pack on my porch the other night. Now that's what I call affecting change at the local level.