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Reflections October 2012

Senior Moments

A Halloween Experiment

By Edward A. Joseph

The dénouement for my dad¹s "Halloween Experiment" is not encouraging for the future of the human family. On the other hand, "entrapment" might be the verdict of any fair-minded judge for what happened.

My dad loved kids and "people watching" in general. Children, as well as the vagaries of human behavior, fascinated him. I think these were the reasons, as well as his quirky sense of humor, for the sound system he set up one Halloween.

His plan was simple, yet diabolically ingenious, and he almost certainly would not have tried it in today's litigious world because of the plan's potential to cause a trick or treater to run home screaming to his or her parents.

As the sun was setting one Halloween, my dad attached a basket of lollipops near the mailbox on our front porch and posted a sign written in Halloween colors that tested the trick or treaters’ moral compass: "Happy Halloween!!!! This is the honor system!!!! Take one only!!!!"

I'm assuming that one of the reasons he set up the sound system was to encourage those children who were not able to read yet to behave themselves, but more than likely it was at the heart of his desire to have some fun.

In any case, he set up a hidden speaker near the basket and then ran the accompanying wire to a microphone inside the house to a location from which he could secretly observe the trick or treaters.

The first group of children read the sign but were about to take more than one when my dad caused their hair to stand at attention by saying into the mike, "No, no, no, one lollipop only, please. Remember, many other children will be coming tonight!" They each dropped the "extras" and walked away looking back at the talking basket.

As the evening wore on, the varied reactions of the children tickled my father immensely. Some examples: dropping the lollipop back into the basket like it was electrified; looking around with their mouths open; laughter and giggles; walking away without taking one at all.

I'm happy to report that a number of children did only take one, but even then Dad couldn’t resist startling them by saying, “Thank you for being honest!"

The dénouement for my dad¹s "Halloween Experiment" is not encouraging for the future of the human family. On the other hand, "entrapment" might be the verdict of any fair-minded judge for what happened.

Eventually Dad became tired of watching over his basket of lollipops and the need for constant exhortations to potential miscreants. Besides, he needed to run an errand. He figured he would challenge human nature one last time: He filled the basket and left the house "unguarded."

As he drove home after completing his errand, he knew it was highly unlikely there would be any lollipops left, but he was hopeful. While pulling into the driveway he looked towards his Halloween sign and realized his naiveté: The lollipops were gone – and so was the basket!

 

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