Your Strange-r Etiquette
Sorry, had to rewrite the title since FP doesn't allow "-" and it's sort of important. But anyways, on with the story! :)

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Strangers

— what a baffling concept.

It can be defined as a person you have not met or spoken to. You are not acquainted with said person. They are unknown to you. No relationship has been formed between you and that person. That is a stranger.

Sounds simple enough thus far, n'est-ce pas?

Yes, yes it does. Pushing forward…

It's general knowledge that if a stranger offers you candy, you do not take it. Because, honestly - free candy? In today's world of falling economies and tight, selfish wallets? It must be poisoned. Perhaps they get satisfaction from watching a person die. Actually, if you really think about it, the money they invest into the poison is overwhelmingly overridden by the money they have now saved in terms of taxes paid to pay for that person's medical care and social services.

Or… it's a trap to lure you into their car where they will do unspeakable, sick things to you. May parents watch their children closely, for their immunity against sweets is weak.

So what is the deal with trick-or-treating on Halloween? A night where parents encourage their children to go door to door to collect candy from strangers?

Something is obviously wrong with this picture.

The costumes may be a sly attempt to keeping children anonymous, but nothing else adds up.

It's dark; children are talking to strangers, taking candy, posing for photos, stepping through the front door while waiting for strangers to find (poisoned) candy to give them; dogs are loose in the yard and house; jack-o-lanterns are fire hazards; coffins are body boxes for your children to be stuffed in; decorative, screaming decorations are just to cover up the real screams; costumes – though anonymous – may be for all the wrong reasons, for now who can recognize the child?

I'd like to know what happened to the poisoned candy. The "always beware"? The "never talk to strangers"?!

Stranger etiquette is a strange thing indeed.

That's another thing. Strange + r = stranger.

So strangers are strange people? I think the parents that take their kids out on Halloween trick-or-treating are the real strangers.

But then again, that makes no sense.

Moving on.

Another general rule is to be polite and friendly to others. "Always have a positive attitude," and all that good stuff.

On public transit, it's always correct to give up your seat if an elderly, pregnant, or young child comes aboard.

But wait, isn't that more stranger interaction?

And don't tell me you've never met a friendly individual on the bus that strikes up a conversation with you.

Do you turn your head away from them? They generally look harmless enough. But what about the "never talk to strangers?"

What about the "always be polite and friendly to others"?

Society is definitely sending us mixed signals.

And soon, it's going to confuse people to a point where they are going to do the wrong thing; follow the wrong rule.

Then what?

They're gone.