TRICKED

The boy slowly climbed up the dark city stairs as part of a group made up of his mother, grandmother, and his four siblings. Although he had climbed similar steps all of his young life, things seem to be harder this evening. He soon found himself slipping back from his traditional third place in line bringing up the rear. He reasoned it was because of the plastic mask which obscured his vision was the culprit.

By the time he had made it to the door his older brothers and younger sister had already received their treats and dashed past him heading for the next house. His grandmother moved quickly past him her intentions on keeping up with them, while his mother followed, occupied with helping his baby brother with his small bag. He had lost track as to how long they had been out but if the weight of his candy bag was any indicator it had to be several hours. Although he had become tired, his enthusiasm for this once a year event (second only to Christmas) kept him moving up each set of steps of the row-house neighborhoods he lived in.

His determination to visit each house and his slow progression up and down the dark steps soon found him several houses behind his family but he wasn’t worried because he could still hear them. He reasoned that they had to be tired and were skipping houses and that’s why they were moving so quick. He smiled to himself since he would have more candy then all of them.

It wasn’t long after that he stepped onto the sidewalk that something seemed wrong. It took him a moment to realize what it was. It was too quiet! He peered through his thick glasses down the dark street towards the lone light pole over a half a block away. He strained his ears to hear some sign of activity ahead of him but no sound came to him.

At first, he though his family was playing a trick on him and quickly moved towards the next set of stairs. He glanced up at the lone Jack-o-lantern on the porch which grinned mockingly down at him. He didn’t venture up but moved to the next house and the next with the same results. A realization ran through him at that moment he was out at night, in a street he didn’t recognize alone!

The panic that came over him caused him to move more and more rapidly to each house glancing up at one empty set of stairs after another. His fleeting thoughts that this was a trick being played on him and that at any moment his family would jump out from their hiding place vanished as he encountered no one anywhere.

By this time his lust for candy had totally vanished and all he wanted was to find his home. But where was he? The part of the city he lived in was designed in blocks and every street looked identical to him in the dark. As he fought back the tears that begun to cloud his already dim view he chastised himself for paying more attention to his candy bag then to the streets he had been waling thorugh. For a split-second he was tempted to drop his bag and run but his better sence claimed him and he grip tightened up on his bag. After all, he’d need something to keep the monsters at bay when midnight hit and the monsters descended upon him.

He realized he needed to get his bearings and, as darkness seemed to close in on him, he glanced towards the lone light pole half a block away and headed towards it as quick as his legs would take him. He would make his last stand there when midnight hit and all those monsters from all of those movies descended upon him.

The sounds that came to his ears now seemed to be amplified along with the beating of his heart. He would welcome his brothers jumping out from a darkened set of stairways, his imagination at the time had begun to conjure up a lot worse.

He moved past the last darkened set of stairs, knowing in true movie fashion, if something was going to get him it would be right before he reached the safety of the ring of light shining just a few yards in front of him. He blinked the tears out of his eyes and braced himself for the horror he knew was hiding there. He braced himself and dashed past the last steps and into the light.

He was safe!

In the glow of street light he was able to relax long enough to glance around. It was then he realized that something looked familiar. It was front door and he could see it from where he stood!

A sense of relief washed over him that caused his eyes to brim with tears as he thought of the safety of his mom’s embrace and that gave him the courage he needed to run to the edge of the light and up the dimly lit steps towards his front porch. He had no idea how long he had been out there but it had to be after midnight by now and he knew his mom would be worried about him.

The living room was full of activity when he ran through the door. His brothers and sister were sitting on the floor. They had removed their masks although they still wore their costumes and in front of each one was a large pile of candy that they were sorting through as they were instructed. His mother was helping his little brother with his candy and smiled up at him as he walked in.

He dropped his bag on the floor and removed his mask walking quickly over to her and gave her a hug. He told her he had gotten lost and he didn’t understand why everyone had left him. At first she started to smile at him but then she saw the tears on his face and she stopped. She took his hands in her and explained to him that they had only arrived at the house a short time ago. She had know that he was only up the block. He told her he had to have been lost for hours. She told him they had just arrived a short time ago pointing out the fact that, like every year, his siblings were still sorting their candy.

She smiled up at him and, as mothers often do, quickly changed the subject by asking to look at his candy. The realization that what she was saying sunk in and he settled himself on the floor next to his mom and emptied his cascade of candy onto the floor so she could help him sort it.

He mentioned to his mom it seemed like it was a lot darker tonight then he remembered. She agreed.

It has been more than 40 years since I was that boy, and although the details have faded some the feelings have not.

RP can be a tricky disease, you see, it’s hereditary and one of its symptoms is night blindness, and unlike someone who has gone through an accident where there sight is diminished, for me I was born night blind and didn’t know it and no one could have told me either. For all outward appearances I was just a regular kid, clumsy sometimes, perhaps, but normal nonetheless. It would take over 30 years before I was diagnosed with the disease and that was after my mother was diagnosed with it after beginning to lose her site. Fortunately, she and I were the only ones in the family that have it, and it hasn’t shown up in any of my nephews and nieces. I have no children of my own.

Tricked?

I’ve felt that way in the past but I don’t anymore. I’ve learn to get a handle on it, and it’s my goal to share some of those insights with living with RP for both those who have it and for those who help those who have it.

Hope it helps.