Story Premise #14: The Dead Ends

Four high school seniors decide to head out for Trick or Treating.  There's nothing else to do, so why not grab some free candy?  As high schoolers will at times, they dial it in where their Halloween costumes are concerned.  Trisha tosses a tape measure around her neck and a pencil behind her ear.  She's a seamstress.  Simon grabs his Dodgers cap and his brother's baseball bat.  Shortstop.  Lois puts on her cousin's red TARGET vest.  She works at Target.  Samantha carries around a stuffed tiger toy.  Zookeeper.

They drive to the neighborhood best known for good candy and begin their trek. Since they're arriving on the late side of the city's Halloween hours, many neighbors react with annoyance. Over and over, they're asked if they might be a little old for trick or treating. The teens just giggle goofily.  Happy with their haul, they meander from one street to the next.  They venture down a dead end street for one final house. This place is covered with Halloween decor---goblins, witches and a veritable pumpkin patch of jack-o-lanterns on the front lawn.   Two old women open the door. When they see the teens, they tell them they are out of candy.  "What are you, anyway?" says one, and the teens laugh as they each share their Halloween identities.  The other woman shakes her head.  "Even if we had candy, we wouldn't share it with the likes of you.  You're making a mockery of an important holiday. This kind of foolishness will catch up with you one of these days."  

"Whatever," mutter the teens as they hightail it down the street.  They come back later to the sisters' house with eggs and toilet paper.  

The four move to different towns to attend various colleges.  They lose touch for twenty years.  At their high school reunion, they find a table and some beers and spend a fun evening reminiscing about days of yore. 

Those sure were good times," says Trisha.  After a pause, she adds, "I'm embarrassed to tell you all that I never did become a lawyer.  I work at a Dry Cleaners. I hem pants and skirts all day long. Box up the occasional wedding dress. So boring." 

Simon shrugs.  "I dropped out of UCLA after one semester. I sell concessions at Dodgers Stadium." 

Samantha pats him on the shoulder and says, "Hey, you've got it better than me. After I dropped out of UCSD, I got a job at the zoo.  It was fun for awhile, but most of my job consists of cleaning up animal poop." 

Lois chimes in quietly, "Well my job's nothing to brag about.  I couldn't handle the pace at Carleton.  I was invited to leave in my sophomore year.  I've been stocking shelves at Target every since."

Everyone's quiet for awhile, sipping their drinks.  Then Simon says, "Wait a minute."  

The four old friends consider taking a drive together.  Maybe there's something that can be done.  Maybe it's not too late to find the sisters and make amends.