If you had one shot to seize all the candy ...

Maybe my memory of the past or observation of the present is faulty, but it just doesn't seem that Halloween carries the same importance in the lives of children today that it did in mine. I don't see the same urgency, the same determination, the same all-out greed.

It may be that kids today are indulged with snacks, treats and candy, so are not as confectionally motivated as we were.

Weeks of planning preceded the special night. Basic strategy had to be worked out and precise tactics employed to ensure success. The gathering and analysis of data was critical, as time in the field was limited. Equipment needed to be secured and checked, because once you left the house, you would have no time to return for repairs or replacements.

We used pillowcases to hold our accumulated swag. But we left them in a safe place, taking small paper bags up to each house so we would always appear reasonable, and pathetic. The window of opportunity was only a couple of hours, so our route had to allow for maximum speed while hitting the most generous houses early.

This detailed preparation is what separated the amateurs from those who had done their homework. We didn't have time for tricks, as they produced no revenue. One's costume had to be practical but also project inner ambitions and desires. It had to be a persona you could play with your whole being, for on that night, you would become your costume.

After executing a well-coordinated plan, we returned home to display and categorize the loot, maybe make a few trades with a naive younger sibling and discard anything that appeared wholesome.

The next school day brought the debriefing, strategy comparisons and the final tally, as well as the first preliminary data-gathering for the next year. You would hide as much candy on your person as you felt could go undetected in the classroom. This one night's harvest supplemented the school lunch for weeks.