Hi...uh...Mom?

A few nights ago, on Halloween, my friend--I'll call her Amy to save her further embarrassment--was in her freshly painted living room waiting for her parents, who were coming to see her new house for the first time.

The time came and went, but her parents--usually punctual--weren't there.

Finally, much later, the doorbell rang, and Amy opened the door to see her parents standing there, grinning sheepishly, both with sucker sticks in their mouths.

"Where have you been?" Amy asked.

Her parents looked at each other and giggled.

"Should we tell her?" her mother asked.

"We met your neighbors," said her father.

Amy says she knew the news was not going to be good.

"My neighbors?"

Her parents looked at each other guiltily and snickered some more before answering.

"Well, we had never been here before," began her father.

And the whole sad story unfolded.

Amy's parents had parked on the street and walked to what they thought was the right house. Outside, a young couple wearing Halloween masks sat on the steps outside with buckets of candy. Thinking the pair was Amanda and her husband, her father had chipperly called out, "Trick or treat!"

The couple on the stoop greated them with reluctance. "You want some candy?" the woman asked.

Amy's mom realized this was not her daughter, but surmised that Amy had invited some friends over to help give out Halloween candy.

"Sure," Amy's parents responded.

"Oh--okay," the woman responded with uncertainty. She handed them each a sucker.

Amy's parents proceeded up the steps past them, toward the open front door.

"Don't let them in!" the woman cried out, and her male companion bounded after them and demanded: "Where do you think you're going?"

"My daughter's house, of course," Amy's mom responded, surprised at the sudden hostility as she stepped with purpose through the front door...and stopped short.

Amy's parents stood looking at a fully decorated living room, complete with pictures of people they didn't recognize.

"Ron, this isn't Amy's house," her mother said under her breath.

They turned to face the couple, who had scrambled behind them.

"You're not my daughter," Amy's mom stammered.

They went on to explain that they were first-time visitors to the street, and they had mixed up the address--not to mention the confusion created by the masks.

The young couple peeled off their masks and responded that the previous owner of their house had died, leaving behind his collection of Halloween masks. They decided to try them on as they handed out candy that night.

The four got a good laugh before the couple pointed them in the right direction.

However, Amy, in her embarrassment, may never leave her house again. At least, not without a mask.