"Man Halloween must be boring in this town," complained James.

James looked around the shop. The shop appeared to be selling all kinds of things, except for Halloween costumes.

James was a 15 year old kind, perhaps the only kid in town. James approached the counter, where a fifty year old man was sat down, and reading newspaper. He was the shopkeeper, a fat bald man. He looked friendly though.

Now that is not what you see everyday. People here still read newspapers.

"Hi," James tried talking to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper was still glued to what he was reading. James was getting annoyed, as he hated being ignored.

"Excuse me," James started talking a little bit louder.

The shopkeeper then started paying attention to James.

"Oh yes what I can do for you?" asked the shopkeeper.

"Do you know where I can buy a Halloween costume?" asked James.

The shopkeeper eyed James very closely, and then saying, "We don't sell those around here."

"You mean Halloween is not celebrated around here?" James was puzzled.

Despite the fact that it was the 31st of Halloween, he had not seen any jack o' lanterns or pictures and posters of white sheeted ghosts or Bela Lugosi type vampire pictures hanging around.

The shopkeeper stared at James very intensely.

"Hey you're the kid of the new doctor around here," the shopkeeper smiling.

"Yeah my dad is the new town doctor. We moved I, I guess around two months ago," James said.

"You know we hadn't had a doctor for over a year. People had to go to the city to see a doctor. As you can see that it can be pretty inconvenient. Most folks around here aren't young," the shopkeeper tried making a joke out of it.

James and his dad moved into the town of Arthur Mills just around summer. When he moved into town, he was depressed. There was no school. Not many young people. Most people were over fifty. But still, he saw people working in what should be their retirement age. James's dad hired a private tutor for him, a woman named forty-five year old woman named Sandra.

"Your dad is a good man. We are glad to have him here!!" exclaimed the shopkeeper.

"Yeah tell me about it," James dismaying his sarcasm.

Ever since they moved into Arthur Mills, James had made no new young friends his age. On the bright side like most teenagers, he still had a cell phone and internet access. He had the latest Samsung Smart-phone, where he can call his old friends back in Dallas, Texas. But he had no internet on his laptop at home and his dad did not even get him a TV set. His dad said that he didn't want too pay too much unnecessary bills, plus that spending too much over the television is unhealthy.

All the things his dad told him:

"Do you know why too many kids in this country are obese? I will tell you why. They sit down and play with their Playstations all day long, eating chips and not exercising enough!!"

"Crime rate is very high up in the south. Too many gang wars. Too many dead teenagers. Too much drug abuse and drug cartels. Multi-racial multi-cultural my ass. If we are the melting pot, then why the fuck we have so many racial gang wars. Even the borders are unsecured. Illegals come here every day and we have to pay for them with our tax money. You know how many foreigners are working hard to fight our wars out there, just for one fucking green card. Why can't these fucking illegals just wait in line like everybody else!! Oh yeah we gotta speak Spanish 'cos they don't wanna learn English!!"

"Too much oil in Texas, but that's not a bad thing. But too much oil and gas mixing up with water. That's a bad thing."

"Why can't they label GMOs here, like they do back in Europe!!"

"Maine is the safest state. Up there everyone speaks English. No crime rate. No drugs. No gang violence. Food and water up there are safe too. I didn't take up the offer in Arthur Mill just because they had no doctors up there, but every town oughtta have doctors. No what I am saying is that I also have to think about you. Your future and health are my concern. Hell God knows what many schools al over this country teach their kids."

"Hey you're from the big city right. Our town has forests and lakes. Why don't you go out there and enjoy those. Heck, why not go for a swim. Our lakes are safe. No crocodiles out there," suggested the shopkeeper.

"Thanks. I will think about it," James giving out a crocodile smile himself.

James walked out of the shop, annoyed that the shopkeeper was trying to tell him to forget about celebrating Halloween.

"This is dullsville!!" James was frustrated with his situation.

James got up on his bicycle but before he could cycle away, the shopkeeper came out of the shop, as if to warn him about something.

"Hey make sure you are not that in the forest after dark!!" warned the shopkeeper.

James just cycled away, without thanking the man.

James knew his way around town, since he already had spent much time cycling around it. He cycled until he reached one of the town's lakes. He did admit the scenery of watching birds fly was relaxing and that the sun was shining through and t cool air was breezing.

He took out his Samsung Smart-phone, calling up one of his old school friends.

"Hey James!! What's up?" his friend Diego talking from the other side.

"Halloween around here is boring. They not only not celebrate it but they also don't sell costumes too!!" James dismaying his frustration.

"Last time you were bitchin about how there were no young kids over there. Told you maybe their parents left town and took them away. You ever thought of asking one of those townspeople. Or you know what. Forget about it dude. I bet they still reluctant to be straightforward and not telling you anything. They still advising you man!!" laughed Diego.

James remembered having told Diego everything that was wrong with Arthur Mill. Maybe life was too boring in Arthur Mill that a lot of families had just decided one day to move out, and find opportunities elsewhere.

"Tell me about it. I am in the lake now because that is the closest thing to enjoying life around here. Shopkeeper told me to try enjoy life by coming here but I just came 'cos I thought like was exciting enough anyways," James responded.