Tales of the Mystery Shopper: Taken from the Mis-adventurous Casebook of his Stupefied Apprentice by Michael Forrest

Michael Forrest

$16.75

Paperback

Or so the headline may have blared ... had there been one, as my friends and I made our rounds that Halloween night. Replaying the long-ago evening through the nostalgic lens of my mind causes many such nights from disparate years to run together. The only other trick or treating foray which separates itself as unique was an October 31st when, having returned home loaded with sacks brimming, I mistook a 'ghost caller' at my parent's door for a friend I had seen earlier in the evening, and emptied half the candy bowl in their pillow case. Only later did I learn that my real ghost friend had not, in fact, called on us at that hour - Ha!

At any rate, what is was all about was the Loot.  The mistaken identity evening is the only one I can recall which can compete with the night of the Lizard Man in terms of sheer quantity of plunder taken. I'm speaking here of multiple bags of tooth decay, and other little trinkets. No, no razor blades or needles in candy bars of my day. Though, whether it was that, or merely urban legend rumors of such, the nights of the 'Great Hauls'  do seem to be a thing of the past, unfortunately. Tragically, in fact, as parents seek more and more to chaperone and shield their little princesses and ghouls, shepharding them through quarantined tricks or treats. Can't say I blame them, if the current state of society does indeed warrant such extreme measures.

So, a salute, then, to the days of yesteryear, when we, my friends and I, were men of adventure, on a mission that no supervising adult could ever truly appreciate, much less be a part of. They lack that special access to the secret code of a child's mind which is necessary for entry into such a fraternity. Of course, I do, now, as well...