Dear Ann Landers,
When I read the letter from "St. Pete" about the man who dressed up as Batman and ended up hitting his head on the ceiling fan, it reminded me of an embarrassing incident that happened 40 years ago. My husband and I were newlyweds, getting ready to attend a Halloween party given by friends. I came home from work and asked my hubby to answer the door for the trick-or-treaters while I took a bath. As I was running the water, I thought, "Wouldn't it be fun to play a trick on him?" So, I put on my flapper raccoon coat and a mask, and without a stitch on under the coat, I sneaked around the house and rang the doorbell. When my husband answered, I threw open my coat and shouted, "Trick or treat!" He was so stunned, he backed up, fell down the steps of the sunken living room, hit his head and knocked himself unconscious. I called 911 and had to explain what happened to the police and paramedics. My husband was taken to the hospital, where they said he had suffered a concussion. We never made it to the Halloween party, and of course, I had to let my friends know why. They thought it was hilarious. My husband and I will celebrate our 40th anniversary soon. I still love Halloween, but have refrained from pulling any more startling surprises. Life is so much easier if you have a sense of humor. -- Toni in Long Island, N.Y.

Dear Toni,
What a story! Laughter is indeed the elixir of life, and it can be a great "protector." There are times when, if we couldn't laugh, we'd cry.