Hope you enjoy the story! Brooke :0)
Trick or Treat
Brooke Terry
Loud singing could be heard down the hall, as could the running of little feet.
"Trick or treat,
Smell my feet,
Give me something good to eat.
If you don't,
Oh beware,
I'll pull down your underwear!"
"Master Richard!"
The singing stopped abruptly as did the running of little feet.
"Yes sir?"
"Hush that infernal noise this instant!" Alfred stood with his arms crossed blocking the boy's path.
"But Alfred, I'm practicing for tonight," Dick whined.
"You may be going out trick or treating tonight, young man. But you will not go around quoting that uncivilized rhyme," the older man said pointing a warning finger at the boy. Then Alfred added, " Master Bruce left specific instructions that you are to go downstairs and complete your daily exercises before he arrives home, so that you will be ready to go trick or treating on time."
"Yes sir," Dick muttered as his excitement was deflated only for a little while. The boy began to go to the study and the entrance of the Batcave when he spun around and asked in the high-pitched thrill of a youngster, "Alfred, do you think Bruce will take me trick or treating…himself?"
Alfred frowned at this question and then mildly answered, "I would not get my hopes up, my boy. Master Bruce has been extremely busy in his nightly affairs as of late."
"Oh…well, you and me'll have fun!" Dick nodded and smiled gallantly. Then the boy turned and practically flew down the long flight of stairs disappearing into the dark interior of the cave.
"You and I will have fun," Alfred muttered his correct grammar to himself. Walking back to the kitchen, Alfred shook his head thinking of all the bad habits he was endeavoring to break young Master Dick of committing. Ranging from grammatical errors to atrocious stunts such as sliding down the banister of the ornate staircase leading up to the large bedrooms.
"Where in Heaven's name did he learn that awful Halloween song?" Alfred talked to himself in a low voice. Then smiling, Alfred thought of how the rambunctious boy did have his good points as well. "At least he is not opposed to laughter like the man who sleeps down the hall…" Master Bruce really was not opposed to laughter. He just rarely participated in the act of laughing, genuinely that is. For Brucie, the playboy socialite, laughter was a constant. However, when Bruce was not "playing at" being the billionaire playboy, he seldom cracked a full-fledged smile, much less uttered a sound resembling happiness.
"Except for the boy," Alfred again allowed a small grin to crease his face. Master Dick seemed to be able to bring out a certain lightness not often found in Master Bruce.
Alfred finished cooking the evening meal and started to go to the cave entrance to see if Dick had completed his exercises. However, he stopped immediately in his tracks, for someone was again singing that infernal song.
"Trick or Treat,
Smell my feet,
Give me something good to eat,
If you don't,
Oh beware,
I'll pull down your underwear!"
"Master Bruce! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Alfred planted himself in front of Bruce just as he had done to young Dick earlier.
"What?" Bruce questioned innocently.
"What indeed! Where on earth did you hear that horrible…rambling?" Alfred exclaimed.
"Well, I don't remember…but Dick and I have been practicing it for weeks now," Bruce said.
"Master Bruce, are you telling me that you are the one responsible for teaching that…song to Master Dick?" Alfred raised an eyebrow.
"I guess I am," Bruce shrugged his shoulders.
Alfred closed his eyes giving himself a mental shake and wake up call. Here in lies the problem. "Master Bruce, has it occurred to you that we might want to teach the boy some points of etiquette before he reaches manhood?"
"Oh Alfred! It's just a little fun thing to say when you go trick or treating. By the way, where is Dick? Is he ready?" Bruce asked.
"I was on my way downstairs to see," Alfred turned leading the way to the cave.
About halfway down, both men heard the excited boy as he dashed about the cave.
"It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Superman!" Dick yelled as he made flying motions with his arms.
"Dick are you ready to go?" Bruce asked.
"Bruce!" Dick could not contain his boyish joy at the appearance of his guardian. "Are you going to take me?"
"I thought I might," Bruce grinned.
"Oh boy!" Dick ran up and jumped up and down in front of Bruce and Alfred.
"Come on Chum," Bruce said as he reached down and lifted Dick up on his shoulders. The pair started to ascend the stairs leaving Alfred to stare after them.
Sighing a little, Alfred broke into a triumphant smile. His boys together were all he needed. Nothing else could make him happier, even if they sang to the beat of a different tune at times.