The little brown puppy

This year’s Barbie & Marshall Halloween Blood Drive was another success (over 350 donors).  As I signed off my radio show at Mississippi Blood Services at 6 p.m., I  rushed to make sure I made it home in time for Trick-or-Treating.  My oldest son (12) was going on a trailer with friends his age. My middle son (9) was going around with his friend.  And my wife was taking our five-year-old out.  It was something I didn’t want to miss.

When I pulled into the garage, I called her and walked halfway across the neighborhood to meet them.  My son, a boy who has overcome more in his short lifetime than most folks ever will, had attacked Halloween with his trademark focus and drive.  I met them a quarter of a mile away and when he saw me, he yelled, “DAD!”  He ran up to me and gave me a big hug.

He was dressed as a little brown puppy.

I said, “Who are you?”

“Banjo.”

I had just driven by the emergency hospital where our recently deceased Border Terrier Banjo had fought his last few battles.  My heart nearly melted.

My wife and I walked quickly behind him as he’d say, “Next house, please!” He’d march up to the door, knock and softly say, “Trick or treat!” I’m sure some people had a hard time understanding him.  If they only knew.

We looped back around the block and he started to run out of steam.  He finally said in a quiet voice, “Can I go home now?”  The little Banjo was dog tired.

As he walked up the steps to our front door, I saw his blue jeans poking out of the bottom of the costume. He had almost outgrown it.  And it was then that I had my scariest Halloween moment: I realized my little guy was growing up too quickly.  I stood there and tried to hang on to that scene for as long as I could.

And as quickly as it began, Halloween was over.