Not a lot of trick-or-treating goes on in my building, and for the second year running my former neighbor Fitz has invited me up to his house on Hobart Street, NW, where the 1600-block is closed to traffic on the evening of October 31 to make the festivities more family-friendly, and gives Halloween the aura of a block party. Last year I went as a Washington Redskin, and my choice of costume provoked some comments of the “Why a Redskin?” variety.

The Burgundy and Gold were on their way to a dismal 4-12 won-loss record by this time last year, and I would explain to my interlocutors that I had come as a sort of virtual-reality Redskin: “I’m not really here! You can run right through me!” I would proclaim. The frustrated fans of Redskin Nation could only mumble, murmur or mutter that they got the joke (at the expense of the Redskins’ hapless defense).

This year’s Redskins are an improved team. By Week 7 of the2012 NFL season, the Redskins had been playing well enough that to reprise the role of an invisible defensive lineman would be too harsh. I believed I would have to rethink my choice of costume.

But then tight end Fred Davis ruptured his Achilles tendon in a game on October 21, ending his season, and the Redskins re-signed Chris “Captain Chaos” Cooley who after an eight-year run as a Redskin and a couple of Pro-Bowl appearances had retired from football rather than play for another franchise when he did not make the team’s roster earlier this year. So I am going to don Chris Cooley’s jersey (thanks again for that Christmas gift, sister Liz) and go again as Redskin (No. 47). If people ask, I’ll tell them: “Look-ee here! I’m Chris Cooley and I’m [insert pregnant pause here] back from the dead!”