Trick in the Cauldron

Prying into someone else’s early Halloween stash is practically a civic duty. I scaled the wicker leg of the porch side table and peered straight into a glossy black ceramic cauldron brimming with wrapped sweets. Far too generous, and utterly naive. With a clean clack from my wrist disk, I flicked a prized blackberry sour chew free and tucked it securely inside my coat lining. But I never take without leaving a signature. Snatching a hollow acorn shell from the adjacent terracotta planter, I crimped an abandoned silver foil wrapper tight around the wood and balanced the fake treat dead center atop the pile. Go on, grab the shiniest candy on the porch—enjoy the crunch.