The excitement of Halloween filled the air as Kevin raced from house to house, admiring the glowing jack-o’-lanterns and spooky decorations his neighbors had put up. He loved Halloween, and it was clear the rest of the neighborhood did too—except for one house. Mrs. Kimbly’s house was dark and undecorated, standing out like a sore thumb in the otherwise festive street. Kevin had always been curious about Mrs. Kimbly, the older woman who lived alone and rarely interacted with the other neighbors. He had helped her with chores like mowing her lawn and shoveling her driveway, but she never really spoke to him beyond a polite “thank you.” As Kevin thought about how much he loved Halloween, he couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to celebrate, and he felt compelled to do something. So, one afternoon, he knocked on Mrs. Kimbly’s door, offering to help decorate her house. But his offer was quickly shot down. Mrs. Kimbly angrily told him to leave and slammed the door. Kevin was confused and a little hurt, but he couldn’t let it go. He was determined to spread some Halloween cheer, whether Mrs. Kimbly wanted it or not.

Later that evening, Kevin quietly decorated her porch with lights, pumpkins, and plastic skeletons. He didn’t want to upset her, but he hoped that once she saw the decorations, she might feel more included. However, his plan didn’t go as expected. Mrs. Kimbly came storming out of her house, furious that he had ignored her wishes. As Kevin stood frozen in shock, she grabbed the pumpkin he had carved and smashed it on the ground. Kevin felt his heart sink as he watched the pieces scatter across the porch. He had only wanted to help, but it seemed like he had only made things worse. That night, as Kevin sat on her porch in his costume, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, Mrs. Kimbly finally opened up to him. She explained that Halloween reminded her of how alone she felt without any family. Kevin listened and then invited her to join him in carving another pumpkin. By the end of the night, Mrs. Kimbly was smiling, and for the first time in years, she didn’t feel quite so lonely.