When growing up as a kid, I was well-aware of the perils of Halloween - having to deal with pranksters, who dish out 'tricks' to annoy innocent youngsters who go around with their 'treats'.

Among the 'tricks' these miscreants would pull are hitting their victims with socks full of colored chalk, squirting shaving cream, soaping the windows and hanging toilet paper (or 'T.P.ing', as it's more commonly called) in the trees of the innocent's homes...

Unfortunately, as the years troll on (no pun intended), said pranksters start playing 'hardcore tricks', such as stomping on the decorative jack-o-lanterns in front of homes, slashing of car tires, and the infamous 'flaming paper bags of poop' (left on doorsteps), among other acts of vandalism.

I still recall my very first All Hallows Eve in Florida (in 1994), when I was driving my VW Golf westward on Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach, Florida. Just after passing the Powerline Road intersection, someone standing on the concrete median (in the middle of the street) began to pelt passing vehicles with raw eggs (including my car)!

Regrettably, I couldn't stop and back up (to go after this demented felon), as I was traveling at 40 M.P.H.; otherwise, the car behind mine would've rear-ended me. Furious as I was, all I could do was drive home, and wait until the morning of November 1st to wash off all that 'hen fruit' from the left side of my Golf...

Now, keep in mind, these sort of shenanigans took place only on October 31st... Fast forward to the present... October 24, 2016...

I was riding home on my bicycle, after sunset, going north on Rock Island Road in Margate (just a few blocks away from my condo) - obeying the law by staying in the 'bike lane' on the right side of the street - when a car with several passengers (and all their windows down) slowed down until it was almost going at the same speed I was traveling at...

Before I had a chance to comprehend what was going on, one of the passengers pointed something at me, and "Bang! Bang! Bang!" I'd felt a series of short and sharp stings on my left leg! Someone was shooting at me!

I'd slammed on the brakes, as the open-windowed car sped off. Reaching down, I felt something moist on my leg. Because I was on a dimly-lit stretch of Rock Island Road, I couldn't tell if it was blood or not. So, I pedaled toward a street lamp and looked at my fingers, fearing the worst...

But, instead of seeing red blood, it was blue paint! Apparently, the a**holes in the car were firing colored paintballs at me. They were 'weekend warriors' who attacked me... on a Monday!

I had to go into the men's room of the nearest business (in this case, a Dunkin' Donuts) to wash off the blue paint from the left side of my leg, my shorts, and my backpack.

Regrettably, since I was on a poorly illuminated road, I was unable to identify the make and model of the car or its passengers. But still, I plan to go to the local police precinct to report this incident, in the hope that this foursome will get arrested for any future attacks, before Halloween.

As a result of this scenario, I've decided to stay at home on October 31st, and hope that many pranksters will be placed behind bars.

Let this be a fair warning for all of you. Be on the lookout for those inconsiderate individuals who might put a damper on your Halloween (or, in some cases, one week before the holiday), by taking the term "Trick or treat" a little too literally!