On This Day

Happy Thanksgiving

Because our trip to California was cancelled we ended up at Legal Seafood for a delectable, but untraditional lobster, crab cake, and shrimp— shared combo. We did have squash. It must be that more and more families are eating out because the place was jammed and people just kept filling up the waiting area. I did see a few platters of a traditional feast—but most folks relished the fish dishes.

Across this country people are giving thanks, filling their plates, and taking seconds—and waiting for the pies. It is also a time to think again of people for whom Thanksgiving is a time to hopefully have a meal, collect some groceries, and wonder about the next full meal.

I can’t help but think of the 85,000 children who died of starvation in one country and the  unthinkable number of children and adults who are hungry each day. 

When I was a senior in high school my friend Sandra and I came from families that didn’t really celebrate the holiday with turkey and the fixings. My parents and her parents were second generation and my grandparents didn't really understand “ how to do” Thanksgiving. My grandmother said, “Every day is a day of thanksgiving.” 

Sandra and I wanted to eat all the fixings we saw in the magazines so we decided to go into Manhattan and find a Thanksgiving dinner. We knew that the restaurants serving a big feast were out of our price range so we looked for a small place. We found a small restaurant—serving a full Thanksgiving dinner for an exquisitely cheap price. So we stood on line with a number of folks—some were alone, a number looked as if they were homeless—a few talked to  no one in particular. Two women were serving. We paid—many didn’t—and took our plates and moved along the line. “Dark or light?” I took light meat and Sandra asked for dark. “ Gravy?” Someone else scooped mashed potatoes, squash, peas, and cranberry sauce on the plate. 

The table were set-up so that six people sat at each table—

Just before the man who talked to himself began to eat he said, “You gotta say a prayer.” A woman who said she was homeless until a week ago said, “I used to go to Catholic School and I’ll say what I remember, but it ain’t much.” A woman who looked meek and didn’t seem to lift her eyes from the plate said, “I’ll say a prayer.” I don’t recall her exact words but she thanked everyone from the farmer to the people who ladled out the food.”

Sandra said a Hebrew prayer. Then we all ate and talked to one another. We hadn’t taken any pie because it didn’t look as if there were too many pies. 

Our plates were clean and without our even noticing pie appeared. “It’s a gift from the table,” said the woman who once went to Catholic School. We tried to pay people back, but she said, “ Just say thanks.” 

And so we were thankful. We broke bread with people, prayed and gave thanks, and then were given a gift. It was a Thanksgiving with all the fixings—just like the magazine pictures.

And so Happy Thanksgiving