Boo. Hiss.

[deckardcanine]

Halloween has long been my third favorite holiday, after Christmas and Chanukah. The thrill was pretty subdued for me this year. There was only so much candy I wanted, partly since my office offers plenty year-round and partly since I didn't see enough non-chocolate options to mix it up. We didn't get many visits from trickortreaters, altho that was a mercy during dinnertime. Nevertheless, it was nice seeing my mom dress as Harry Potter for her office and a party (my dad took the easy route as a disgruntled Yankee fan, which he's not) and watching the original "Cape Fear" the day before. Despite a few IMDb contributors' very negative opinions of that film, I recommend it to anyone who wants a realistic scare and can take the implicit subject matter.

But not all my coworkers had a decent Halloween. One copyeditor I don't really know, Charles, got hospitalized with various facial and possibly brain damage after an evening assault, where he received no immediate help. His metro card was stolen but not his wallet, suggesting that it was not a mugging so much as either a gang initiation ritual or someone's idea of a Halloween celebration. (Another employee suffered a similar but less severe assault months ago.) Also, my friend Brendan got a mysterious seizure and hurt his back upon falling. He should be out of the hospital soon, but he won't be allowed to drive for 90 days; I'm not sure how he'll make the transit so far from the nearest metro stop.

This is All Saints' Day. I pray that all saints watch over these guys.