Betty didn’t really support the idea of Halloween, she thought it was silly.
Nevertheless, she reluctantly answered the doorbell every time it went and handed out treats. So far she had done this four times and she was getting fed up with it. She complained to her husband, but he was watching a game on television, and was hardly aware of her comings and goings.
It rang again and she sighed. She picked up the small bowl of toffees and made her way to the front door. When she opened it she found a small witch waving a pillowcase. Betty paused and took it all in. Although not very tall, the witch appeared to be quite stocky, round in fact.
She waited for the obligatory ‘Trick or Treat’, but didn’t get one.
“Yes?” she said, figuring that the kid should at least speak up if they wanted a treat.
The witch shook her pillowcase and held it up.
Thoroughly fed up now, Betty repeated. “Yes?”
The witch just pointed into the sack and nodded.
Betty felt her anger growing. “Oh! I see. A mute witch! Well, I suppose that’s different.” She said sarcastically. “Can I help you?”
The witch squeaked very softly “Trick or treat!” paused, then added “Please.”
Betty leaned forward with her hand cupping her ear. “You’ll have to speak up, I’m hard of hearing.”
The witch said “Trick or treat.” louder this time.
Betty frowned, stepped closer and said “Sorry dear, I didn’t quite catch that.”
The witch squirmed a little and said “Trick or treat Mrs!”
“Wait a minute, I know you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes I do.”
“Trick or treat.”
“You’re Mrs Miller from the Post Office!”
“No I’m not.”
“Yes you are!”
“Trick or treat.”
“You are Mrs Miller, and I speak to you regularly at the counter.”
The witch shuffled and said “No you don’t!”
“Yes I do. Why are you all dressed up like this?”
“Lots of us are!”
“Yes, but they’re all children!”
“Trick or treat.”
“Look, just forget the ‘trick or treat’ for a bit. I know who you are. You’re Mrs Miller. Surely someone is going to recognise your voice sooner or later.”
The witch stood very still for a moment, then said “I normally have a voice-changer…” She coughed, then said a little louder, “A voice-changer.”
“A what?”
“A voice-changer. You know, one of those little gizmos that make your voice sound funny.”
Betty looked up and down the street, dropped her voice and said “Well, why aren’t you using it?”
“It broke.”
“Broke?”
“Yes, well, I suppose it broke. Anyway, it just stopped working and I didn’t have time to get another one.”
Betty straightened up and sighed. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. “Just tell me this” she went on. “Why do you do it?”
The witch’s costume flapped. “I like chocolate.”
Betty’s eyebrows shot up. She stepped back with her hands on her hips. “I can’t believe I’m standing here talking to Mrs Miller. The same Mrs Miller I come and talk to every fortnight at the Post Office!”
The witch said in whisper “That’s me dear. You come in once a fortnight to send a Postal Order off to your son don’t you?”
Betty gasped, looked over her shoulder and pressed her finger to her lips. She said “Just a moment.” and went back into the house.
Two minutes later she returned with a giant-sized bar of chocolate. She opened the pillowcase and dropped it in. It fell in with a heavy thump.
The witch hugged the bag to her chest.
Betty nodded and winked. She smiled and she slowly shut the door saying “Best there are some things only we girls know about.”
Mrs Miller, the respectable lady who served behind the counter at the local Post Office, just loved chocolate!