Coeur d'Alene's Maggie Bennett shared a story.

"For the last 25 years, we have decorated our porch on Halloween with a Scary Guy made from an ugly mask and various clothing stuffed with newspaper. He sits on a bench with pumpkins, a spider and webs.

"This year a 5-year-old princess with blond ringlets came up on the porch with parents and siblings to trick-or-treat. I asked her how she liked my Scary Guy.

"With her arms folded over her chest, she said, 'I don't like him at all and I think you are mean!'"

The child's parents lurched into damage-control mode. And perhaps the fact that her bag of treats was already pretty full empowered the princess to speak freely.

But Bennett was impressed.

"At least she came up on the porch to tell me what she thought. Some kids just walk away rather than take the chance that Scary Guy will get them."

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