The Slice: Prepare to file your Halloween report from the front

When you call in or email your trick-or-treat head count to Slice Headquarters tonight, there are a few additional details you might wish to provide.

Feel free to pick and choose.

What appeared to be the age range of your trick-or-treaters?

What were the most popular costume themes?

How many of the children were accompanied by parents and/or dogs?

How would you characterize the politeness of the kids? What percentage said “Thank you”?

When did they start showing up? When did you close up shop?

Was there a lot of action on your block, or were you alone in a wilderness of turned-off porch lights?

Did you get the sense that some of the kids had been driven to your neighborhood because it has a reputation for dispensing quality goods?

Were you really impressed with any of the costumes?

Any kids outfitted as a bull marmot?

Were you tempted to give any kid a rock?

Did you ever fear you were going to run out of candy?

How did you deal with teenagers who arrived on your porch without costumes?

Did you have any visits from those who believe Halloween needs to be reformed or abolished?

Did any of your trick-or-treaters seem genuinely menacing?

What moment prompted you to mutter, “Why, in my day…”

What candy seemed to generate the most buzz?

Did you knock over any children when opening your storm door?

Did the kids critique your decorations?

Did you wear a costume yourself? How did the kids react to it?

How excited were your pets about the proceedings?

What made you laugh?

How many of the kids addressed you by name?

How excited did the children seem?

How excited were you?

That should do it.

Or, you can just report your number of customers and indicate whether this was up or down from last year. It’s up to you.

I’ll post something on The Slice Blog Wednesday morning. You can find that at www.spokesman.com/blogs/slice/. I believe, at last count, that virtually dormant online offering had a readership in the high two figures.

Today’s Slice question: When you overhear a friend or colleague being badmouthed behind his or her back by someone you do not know, do you ignore it or do you confront the speaker?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. How many of your goals for November will involve correcting mistakes made in October?