I was luxuriating in the shower. Harriett and Annie were out socializing at a neighbor's Halloween party. Annie was a princess. Harriett was an ogre and she didn't even need a costume. I had no interest in dressing up. At my age, they don't offer candy when you ring the bell.

Ding-dong.

Great! Harriett probably misplaced her key again. "Hold on, I'm coming. Keep your pants on." That was Harriett's natural state of affairs anyway.

Ding-dong.

I was almost done with my shower anyway. I threw on a bathrobe. Sheesh, don't they know the rules? My outside lights were off. That meant I wasn't participating in the stupid ritual of Trick or Treat. Bah humbug. Yeah, I know that's another holiday. I don't give Christmas presents either.

Ding-dong.

"Okay, okay, you've got my attention." I flicked on the front light and peeked out the small window of the front door, while dripping water all over the tile floor. There stood a teenager, well maybe a little older. He or she was wearing a plain jacket. I didn't see a costume but the visitor was wearing make-up to look like a witch. Snaggly hair going six ways from Sunday, close set eyes, a long thin crooked nose and a pointy chin. "I'm not giving out anything," I hollered through the door.

"Excuse me, mister. I just moved in across the street. I'm afraid I locked myself out. Nobody is at home. Can I come in, please?"

The house across the street was a revolving door. What was this, the third family in four years? I had maybe seen her once before about a week ago, and only from behind. She was getting out of her folks' minivan as I watched from my window that faces their house. She had been wearing sandals and a very short skirt. I remembered her long, well shaped legs. Her hair had been up in a ponytail bun thing.

"So, can I come in? I'm not really dressed for this weather."

Her comment brought me back to the present. I opened the door and she scooted in quickly. My elevator eyes did a full scan. I started at her feet, which were wearing fuzzy pink slippers. Her legs were better looking up close, exposed all the way up to her jacket. Her hands were still stuffed into her jacket pockets for warmth. She was shivering. When I got to her face, I saw she had been watching me scan her the whole time. That's when I realized she wasn't wearing any make-up. That was her real face! But what a face! It could stop a clock. It could stop a bus or a train or a- well, you get the idea.

I tried not to stare at it as she told me her story of woe. "I stepped outside, you know, to put out the garbage. A gust of wind blew the door shut. My folks and siblings are out tonight. I didn't know anywhere else to go."

"Well, come in and make yourself at home." I almost said homely. Well, she was! I was sure she was self-conscious about the way she looked, and I didn't want to add to her problems. Hell, she just moved in across the street. I needed to build bridges, not erect walls.

She moved from the entryway to the living room and sat down on the couch. I took a seat at the other end, facing her. She crossed her legs. Her jacket was still on, but her legs seemed to be bare all the way up, and I do mean all the way.

"I'm Alesha," she said.

I made eye contact and tried to keep a civil expression. "I'm Mr. Marcus. Harvey. Nice to meet you. So, how do you like the place?"

She turned her head slowly. "Oh, your house looks very nice. Maybe you could give me a tour?"

"No, no, I mean your new house." It hadn't been up for sale for very long. The sellers must have set an aggressive price to move it quickly.

"It's okay, I guess. I'll have to live in it for a while before I know."

A reasonable answer. "Do you go to school?" Yeah, the School for the Chronically Ugly.

"I graduated high school last spring. I'll be starting college next semester. I needed some time off. So, you don't do Trick or Treat?" she asked.

"No. Every year I used to buy candy and get all psyched up for lots of little kids coming by. And every year, I got stuck with the candy because no one showed. Nobody! So now, I don't even bother. That's why the light was off."

She wiggled, tilting her shoulders. "Did you ever go Trick or Treating?"

"Sure, when I was a boy. But now? Heavens no. I'm much too old to be going door to door in some lame costume. I'd probably get arrested."

"That's a shame. Trick or Treat can be a lot of fun. I was going to do it tonight, but I didn't want to go alone."

"Oh, this neighborhood is pretty safe. I don't think you'd be in any danger."

"I'd feel safe if you were with me. Nobody would mess with a big strong man like you."

I was both flattered and puzzled at her comment. What did a young woman like this need with a guy like me? Given her face, maybe she needed male attention.

She blushed. "I was watching you out my window, when you were working on your front yard. You looked so strong when you were raking leaves and fertilizing your shrubs," she explained.