Cory Perry, Cloverdale's King of Trick or Treaters

Cory Perry, King of the Trick or Treaters

Cory Perry is Cloverdale’s Champion Trick or Treater. For the last three years his candy income on Halloween has far exceeded all other competitors, winning him the Trick or Treater of the Year Award sponsored by Cloverdale’s very own Humbug Confectioners on the High Street.

“Last Halloween I took in almost two full pillowcases of candy,” Cory said just before leaving his home for this year’s trick or treating. Cory, along with many of Cloverdale’s other faithful Christians went on their sugary quests on Saturday night, October 30th, instead of Sunday night, October 31st.
“You shouldn't be trick or treating on a Sunday, besides I'm dressed as a devil and that wouldn't be right either,” he explained when asked why he was standing on the Wheezer’s doorstep at 2:30 P.M. Saturday trick or treating.

Most of the village’s children joined Cory. Many did it out of respect for their preacher's advice, while others were not quite so pious. They schemed to trick or treat both Saturday and Sunday nights, thus making this year’s Halloween a two night ghoulish holiday.

Cory understood this two night Halloween could cost him his crown as King of the Trick or Treaters, considering he would only go out Saturday night and not Sunday. His only chance to win was to start trick or treating early Saturday afternoon. He knew his decision to start right after lunch could result in a few slammed doors and upset neighbors - but it was an embarrassment he could live.

Cory’s first stop was the Nearly There Home for the Elderly and Confused. He moved from room to room up and down the halls collecting generous handfuls of candy, an advantage for being the first trick or treater of the season. Some of the residents knew it wasn't Halloween, but they didn't mind - any and all company was welcome.
Cory found a few surprises in his bag mixed in with the candy - such as a set of dentures and several pills later identified as sedatives and stool softeners.

It took Cory roughly thirty minutes to canvass the rest home. The weight of his pillow case was impressive. The amount of time it took him to get this much candy over such a short period of time made Cory think. Then he had a brilliant idea. He rushed home, changed his costume from a devil to a overly sunburned swimmer and returned for another round up and down the halls of the Rest Home. No one was the wiser and Cory came out well on his way to another championship.

Later in the day several of Cory’s friends from school and his Sunday School class joined him on Elm Street. Elm Street was the Trick or Treaters‘ heaven. This is where many of the village’s movers and shakers lived. They were the elite, the rich, the snobs. Every child in Cloverdale knew the folks on Elm Street always tried to out do each other on Halloween.

Last year, while trick or treating up and down Elm, Cory came up with another brilliant idea. He asked his friend to hold his bag while he rushed to Humbugs to buy a King Sized Willy Wonka Bar. He and his friends finished the street after he returned. Their plan was simple, on every doorstep his friends would shout "Trick or Treat" while Cory nibbled on the King Sized Candy Bar. Cory knew the residents would see the gigantic bar and want to know who was giving them out.

“Who is giving away king sized candy bars?” they asked, often in a shocked tone.

“Why, your awesome neighbor down the street," Cory answered pointing down the street. "Don’t know their name but they are the best!".

Cory and his friends knew their scheme would work and told all the other trick or treaters what they'd done. They all knew that next year's Halloween would be mean an abundance of King Sized Candy Bars on Elm Street.

Saturday night proved Cory right. He and his friends scored big time on Elm Street. Almost every home handed out King Sized Chocolate Bars. Word spread quickly throughout the village and within 30 minutes the street was congested with traffic. The village Constable was called out to help move the cars along. It was awesome.

Every trick or treater on the streets Saturday night gave Cory Perry high 5's for what he'd done. Cory was pleased his plan worked out as well as it had.

At 6:30 P.M. Cory made his first stop at Humbugs to have his pillow case weighed for the competition. It came in at just over twelve pounds. The employees and patrons cheered while the other trick or treaters moaned. Their bags weighed far less.

Cory knew he was running out of time. His parents wanted him home by 9:00 P.M. and the math just wasn’t there. Considering he had two and one half hours to go and at least another bag needing to be filled, Cory realized the two night trick or treaters could beat him.

That's when Cory had another brilliant idea. His first stop after Humbugs was his fifth grade teacher’s home.
“Can I borrow some crayons and paper?” he asked. He rushed into the house, took the paper and crayons, and made a badge. It read “Trick or Treating for the Children of Haiti”
“What’s this all about?” his teacher asked.
“I’m going to give everything from this bag to the earthquake victims of Haiti?” Cory answered.

His teacher told him how proud she was of him and pinned the badge on his costume. A moment later Cory was off with his friends. The teacher picked up the her phone and called Cloverdale’s local newspaper and Cloverdale Weekend Television. Twenty minutes later a reporter from the newspaper found Cory on the road and took his picture. A few minutes later a reporter and news truck from Cloverdale Weekend Television found him. Anyone watching CWT Saturday night had live up to date coverage of this remarkable young man as he worked so hard to bring a bit of sugary happiness to the poor children of Haiti.

Cory’s hunch proved spot on. With television camera’s running, Cory’s stops resulted in handfulls of candy poured into his pillowcase. Some family’s went the extra mile for the television camera and included money with their generous candy donations.

At 9:00 P.M. Cory arrived at Humbug’s for his final weigh in. His parents were waiting to take him home. He walked in with one full pillowcase. His other four full pillowcases were carried by the Constable, his teacher and two friends.

There was no doubt. Cory Perry was King of Trick or Treaters for 2010. No one could beat him. The shop erupted in cheers. Cory’s mom gave him a big hug and kiss. His dad shook his hand and said, “Well done son.” Flash bulbs lit up the shop’s display cases. It was a night never to be forgotten.

Cory Perry was indeed a legend.