“Trick or Treat,” a short story by Padgett Powell, originally appeared in Harper’s magazine in November 1993 and later was included in the author’s collection of short stories, Aliens of Affection (1998). “Trick or Treat” is a brief glimpse into the life of a frustrated and lonely housewife, Mrs. Hollingsworth, who allows herself to be seduced by a smart-mouthed twelve-year-old boy named Jimmy Teeth. Mrs. Hollingsworth is not only at odds with her life, but she also has a love/hate relationship with the South, where she lives. “Trick or Treat” won a 1995 O. Henry Award and was anthologized in the award publication, The O. Henry Prize Stories 1995.

Powell is a renowned southern writer, having lived most of his life in Florida. Some would argue that Florida is not southern the way Georgia or Alabama are, but one reading of Powell’s fiction may change their minds. He imbues his characters and settings with a distinctly southern tang which is not overdone but at the same time is impossible to ignore. Powell’s work is both funny and emotionally evocative. Many critics have described his use of language as lush. His characters are just fantastical enough to entertain without being entirely unbelievable or unsympathetic.