disappointing Halloween

My wife and I live on a dead end street in a very rural area of Virginia. We share this street with twelve other couples all of whom are retired people. The bulk of these people are grandparents whose grandkids live in a different area if not a different state. There is one young couple who have a four year old son named Jack. He is the streets sole trick or treater, and we all look forward to his cry of , " Trick or treat!" as he approaches our front doors. He usually arrives at dark accompanied by one or both of his parents. Jack does not get candy from we granparents. Jack gets stuffed animals or other small toys. We splurge on little Jack.
This last Halloween Jack didn't appear at his usual time. We all waited. Soon the phone rang. Carol, our next door neighbor, wanted to know if Jack had shown up at our house yet. We told her no. Next Sheri who lives down the street called. They had just arrived home and wondered if they had missed his appearance. We informed them that he had not arrived yet, and went back to our waiting game. No Jack. My wife called Jack's house to inquire about him and his mom said that he wasn't feeling good and would not be making his appearance at the various front porches on the street. " This won't do!" my wife said. 'Please take his Halloween treat to his house." I said okay and dug a flashlight out of the closet and started my walk to Jack's house which was severl hundred yards away. Every porch light on the whole street was turned on anticipating Jack's arrival. I delivered our "Treat." and headed home. The phone rang many times in the next half hour inquiring about Jack's whereabouts. "He's sick and won't be coming." my wife told each caller. We debated setting up another night so that Jack and all the lonesome grandparents could have their fun. Several people delivered his ,"treats." to his front door. Kind of a reverse trick or treat. Sometimes I wonder who gets the most enjoyment from Halloween trick or treating. The lonesome granparents, or the little tricksters themselves.
The Ol Curmudgeon