Thanksgiving Memories: The Early Years

Some of my favorite Thanksgiving memories:

Eating at the kids' table. I didn't appreciate it then, but when you're eatin' at the kids' table, life is easy. No problems, no stress, no bills, no worries at the kids' table. [age: until I hit my teens]

Sitting at aforementioned kids' table and calculating the chances of getting any turkey after my dad, mom, Leslie, David, Sissy and Jonathan got their chunk of bird. It was at that moment that stuffing became my favorite Thanksgiving fare. My younger sister Becky was even further down the Queen food chain so she had to learn to love and appreciate pickled beets. [age: 8]

Waking up to the sounds of Thanksgiving. Pans rattling. My mom and sister talking. Christmas music coming from the record player (Bing). The phone ringing as relatives called. My brothers and dad loading guns for hunting. One sound was gloriously absent. I never heard my dad couging uncontrollably as he had for just about every morning I remembered up until that time. He had stopped smoking that year. He did it on his own without complaining and he never smoked again. I am convinced that I am still able to visit him tomorrow because of the decision he made that year. [age: 9]

Using construction paper to make Indian headbands and pilgrim hats at school. I can still remember the sweet feeling of staples digging into my scalp. [age: 10]

Coming home from school on Wednesday evening, knowing I was a free man for four glorious days of food, family and falling asleep watching football games. [age: 11-17]

Driving to Virginia Beach with my family to eat Thanksgiving at Uncle Buddy's house. Meeting family I'd heard about but rarely seen. [age: 18]

Lining up my Thanksgiving schedule in such a way that I can eat at least three turkey meals with family and friends. Ending the day watching movies at Dave's house. [age: 19-20]

Arriving home from college on Wednesday night. Eating Papa John's Pizza and watching Home Alone. Years later, when times were bad, I would pop in Home Alone and eat Papa John's and draw from memories of better times. [age: 21]

Drinking coffee on Tuesday night with Eric and playing Hearts at The Drowsy Poet before he left for Thanksgiving break. The place was desolate. [age:22]

Driving home with Jason A. on Wednesday morning. Hearing a popping and rattling and shattering sound under his hood. Rolling to a stop on the side of I-64. Inspecting the ground and discovering a piece of oil covered iron with Japanese writing on it. Walking with Jason to a gas station leaving his crippled and dying Nissan Pulsar behind us while we talked about the virtues of checking your oil. [age: 23]