First Stoop Haul

I grabbed my miniature pumpkin pail, slipped down through the lobby, and stepped out onto the front stone stoop to scout the block. Streetlamps were humming along the sidewalk, casting long evening shadows. Right beside a carved jack-o'-lantern on the top step, a heavy gold-wrapped chocolate coin was resting flat on the sandstone. Gripping the cold foil disc with both plush hands, I tilted it upright and dropped it squarely into my pail with a satisfying clatter. A kid walking past in a dinosaur hoodie pointed and giggled, giving me two enthusiastic thumbs up. I offered the sidewalk crowd an effortless salute from my new stoop headquarters.