Dear Cr-Abby from Scared in San Diego

DEAR CR-ABBY:

Please help me. I wasn't sure how to handle an uncomfortable situation last Halloween, and your answer will help me be better prepared this year. I took my 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old niece trick-or-treating. We only walk up walkways that are well-lit. As we approached one house, an older gentleman was waiting at the open door, handing out candy to the kids.
Before I could process what was happening, he whipped out a camera and took a picture of my daughter and niece. I was not comfortable with it at all. But what could I have possibly done or said without being rude? Our neighborhood is a safe area, but in this day and age you can trust no one.
Do you think it was inappropriate for an older man to take pictures of someone's children? What would be the proper way to handle it this year?

-- HALLOWEEN ESCORT, SAN DIEGO

Dear Thriller Killer,

If "you can't trust anyone these days" (your words) why would you accept candy from countless strangers by participating in the candy begging ritual at all? Politicians and their opportunistic pile on of laws and the 24/7 news cycle has all of us believing that Johnnie the Child Molester has a huge family of similarly minded sickos. We are being conditioned to believe that evil lurks behind every door or Bush. The truth is only some Bush's are evil and as you live 3000 miles from him should be fine.
His home was well lit, you came to his door and the only thing he did wrong was take pictures...if you live n the neighborhood don't you know him? Is he creepy generally or is this the only event that registered on your creepy scale? If he hasnt acted strange in the past then why worry now? If he has,...why did you go there?

By the way, ironically I just got this letter from your neighbor...

Dear Cr-Abby,
Last Halloween I had a near death experience and I am concern how best to protect myself this year from a repeat. You see these kids came to the door with an adult who at first I thought was their chaperon. She acted so strange and gave me such a wierd look and was dressed just like the picture the News people showed of a home invasion robbery suspect in Minnesota. I thought she might be using halloween and the kids as a front to attack me. I took their pictures just to be on the safe side, you know; you just can't trust anyone these days...advice?
Scared In San Diego

Get a lIfe away from the telly. The world may have wackos but the population of wackos is so small it is no reason not to live a normal life. Trust your neighbor until real evidence to the contrary is shown and he/she might afford you the same consideration.

Cr-Abby