The Mom Chronicles: Halloween Tricks Start Early
Hi, moms. I come to you this week heeding great warning: Beware of the Pumpkin thieves. Yes, regrettably I must report that they are striking again and striking early. Yes, it seems no pumpkin is safe on the stoops of homes in Hastings. Unless they are tied down or spend the night indoors under the safe roofs of their beloved owners who took such care in picking them to be their beloved Halloween jack-o-lantern, no pumpkin is safe.
Unfortunately my family learned about this scandal first hand this weekend when the great big pumpkins that my dad grew for my kids were taken off of our front steps. I was livid. There were my kids bikes and their wagon out front. It was obvious this is the home of small children. And yet the thieves took it upon themselves to come during the night, choosing to ignore the fact that there would be two very sad children in the morning, and boldly took the pumpkins off of our front steps, when the front porch light was on no less! When my son walked out the front door to leave for preschool in the morning he was devistated. What happened to his pumpkin from grandpa? I was hard pressed to hide my anger.
So enters life lesson number one for my son. At the tender age of four he is already learning how cruel and heartless people can be. I tried to make the situation seem not so horrible and told him maybe it was someone who needed them more then we did or didn't have the money to buy their own, to try to instill compassion instead of anger and resentment. Unfortunately, I don't think my son is feeling real compassionate. Likely, this was not a gesture of someone in need. Likely, it was the gesture of some kids pulling some pranks or a selfish, thoughtless adult, and our perfect Halloween pumpkins probably are spread out somewhere on some pavement, their insides all over, from being smashed or whatever else.
As I have shared this with friends on facebook and other members of the community, it seems this is a frequent occurance here in Hastings. I have heard lots of stories of pumpkin thieves coming during the night, sometimes smashing, sometimes just dashing with them. And while I am sure our community is not alone in this, I am ticked. I like to think of Hastings as a nice place to live and raise a family. A place to be proud of and somewhat removed from the ugly things that happen in bigger cities. Unfortunately it seems we are not all that different after all. We have our drugs (in abundance it seems). We have our school attempted shootings. And now it seems we have our pumpkin thieves.
So my moms, I offer only this advice: protect your beloved pumpkins. Unless you want them to disappear, bring them in at night, or put them somewhere hard for these thieves to get to. Don't assume just because they are on your front steps or next to your home they are safe. Apparently these thieves are bold and willing to take the risk. Don't let your kids fall victom like mine, to the thoughtless, inconsiderate actions of others.
Now, my family has the task of replacing what we lost. They will not be as special, as they were not grown with the love of grandpa for my kids, but we will not let the actions of others ruin our Halloween. We will rise above. We will choose to believe there is greater good out there in the form of people who aren't so mean and inconsiderate. We will get new pumpkins and display them proudly (during the day, that is!)
And on that note, my moms, may your week be filled with more treats then tricks, and here is to hoping that the great pumpkin thieves don't strike in your pumpin patch.
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