CENTERVILLE – [HN NOTES & MULLINGS ON THE MATTER] – “These are good kids simply out trying to have a little Halloween fun like we all did at that age,” was my first thought as I approached a group of eight teenagers, none of whom I’d ever met before. It was around 11:30 p.m. last evening. We were standing in the middle of a recently rain-soaked parking lot. Things were wet. These kids were wet. And the costume party that cops had just busted up was a good soaking-wet block back in the other direction.

It had been a damp and dreary evening up to that point, in my “OK Boomer” opinion. The arthritis in my lower back was acting up – “probably because of the humidity,” I thought – and the camera gear I lugged around all night felt a little heavier than usual…

… but unbeknownst to me, all that was about to change for the better.

I normally ignore loud party calls. But could it have been something paranormal calling me to this particular loud party call last evening? ‘Twas the night before Halloween after all. I had been roaming Hyannis when suddenly I felt the inexplicable urge to drive toward Centerville, to get a closer look at this large party cops had been chattering about.

I later learned from police, there had been approximately 200 teenagers at this particular Halloween bash. The address sat in the middle of a thickly settled residential area. And logically, it was only a matter of time before at least one of the neighbors dropped a dime regarding the noise and whatnot.

And not all of the party goers were well behaved. There had been an arrest, the party’s teenage host, allegedly in possession of a quantity of booze. The police didn’t particularly enjoy breaking up the party, but when noise and numbers grow as they reportedly did, they are left with little choice.

Bear in mind, most fellow red-blooded Hytonians have attended large high school house parties themselves. And we all remember the lovely experience of having the police show up, telling us to “beat it.” And if we didn’t listen or move quick enough, we got locked up or driven home to the parents in the back of a squad car. And our parents were never pleased to see us, as if suddenly wondering why they decided to raise children in the first place. And then the series of long tortuous lectures were bound to follow… and this was long before cellphones, so we couldn’t just stare at our devices ignoring them. No, we had to sit there and listen. It was dreadful. So yeah, most red-blooded Hytonians completely get the picture, and then some…

And I didn’t expect last evening’s 8 teenagers to be receptive to some geezer walking up and butting in. But I felt I was able to commiserate with them. And to my surprise and delight they respectfully entertained my intrusion into their young world, reminding me of something I had long forgotten. Yes, it definitely used to suck having your party busted up by the cops, especially in the rain. But, upon meeting this particular happy group, I was gratefully reminded how those “sucky” things just didn’t matter when one was in the company of good friends.

The sudden apparent damper on the evening’s festivities didn’t faze these young revelers in the least. They were going to have fun no matter what.

I told them I had initially intended to take a photo of them before they had removed their costumes. At which point they all quickly slipped back into costume and character, agreeing to pose for a several quick snapshots. And the above photos made my night.

Upon parting ways, I spared them my long lecture about traffic safety and the dangers of driving on Cape roadways, especially late at night. Instead I just asked them to please be safe…

… and they seemingly listened. Nobody rolled their eyes!

“Those are good kids,” I thought, walking back to my car, hopping in and driving back toward Hyannis.

And the most spooky thing about last evening’s encounter was upon parting ways, when I had mysteriously forgotten all about my aching back and the humidity for the remainder of the overnight.

S P O O K Y !

(And by the way, one of the teens told me he dressed up as Jeffrey Dahmer. Can you tell which one?)

P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is a brought to you by Climax… [CLICK IT/CRANK IT!]

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