How Frightening!

I was walking around a great neighborhood just bursting at the seams with stoops! While I was enjoying my pick of stoop after stoop however, I couldn't help but feel a growing chill in the air as the sun began to set. Soon, each stoop became just a darker pattern barely discernible from the dark surroundings. I heard footsteps all around me, but I convinced myself it was just the sound of all of the leaves getting caught in the brisk evening wind. Trying to find any distraction from my growing fright, I heard the welcoming crackles of a fire in the distance. I followed the popping fire noises until I finally saw a faint orange glow. Closer still, I realized I was better off out in the dark amongst those mysterious footsteps. Some poor creature had been captured and was roasting on a spit over the fire! I turned to get away, but I was met with an entire trail of glowing skulls! A misfit toy scared me by yelling help and then laughed when she heard me gasp! The footsteps became louder and louder still! There were frightening characters everywhere! I didn't know where to turn until I saw a stream of lights careening down a street. They were the only lights to focus on, as the regular street lights had been turned off. How scary! And then I remembered -- it's Halloween! I had been so distracted with my stoop-finding adventure that I completely forgot.

Suddenly I realized how fortunate my situation was. I was in Anoka -- the Halloween Capital of the World! Imagine that. I watched the parade and saw that there are even parade gnomes. I saw some elves too, but a gnome! I waved and waved and the Parade Gnome threw me some beads for a Halloween souvenir.

If my beard wasn't already gray, it sure would be now. After a night like that!