the cape will fit him perfectly. This year it was just long enough that it would catch under his shoes from time to time, and the safety pin wasn’t strong enough to withstand; it would bend and the cape would end up at his feet. Also, the material is so slippy that the cape wouldn’t stay in place; maybe something sewn inside that would hook around each hand would allow him to be more graceful in it.

However, despite his difficulties, he was a handsome little vampire. S slicked his hair down, we added a bit of fake blood to the sides of his mouth, and after a bit of practice he learned how to avoid drooling and to speak so that people could understand with his teeth in. Perhaps it was precisely because of the cape, but he walked with these magnificent long, graceful vampiresque strides. He’d look the person who answered the door right in the eyes as he said, “Give me candy or I’ll suck your blood!”