Thanksgiving

When I was growing up, the best day of the year for our family was Thanksgiving. Every other day, there was always a possibility that someone would have a meltdown. However, there was something about Thanksgiving that seemed to inspire everyone to be cordial, at least until the Cowboys quit playing.

What was it about Thanksgiving and my family? Like the Colt 45 was the "peacemaker" in the old west, food was the peacemaker in the Barnett family. (Of course that does not include the time Edalyn fed Gary "mountain oysters" without him knowing it).

Thanksgiving in our family was like the feast at the end of "Antwone Fisher." We had more dishes than we had dishes. First, there was the turkey and dressing, and then the fourteen vegetables. It was amazing what my mom could do with a can of green beans. Potatoes, both sweet, regular, and irregular. Desserts were out the wazoo. Pumpkin and pecan pies, and of course there was my mom's famous pumpkin cake, which was always good. Everything was so good, except for the pink congealed salad with celery. Whose idea was this? Since my mom made it, I would eat it. However, it was tricky when it would get stuck in my throat. After dinner we would use it to fix radiator leaks.

Many times Phyllis and I went to her family Thanksgiving first, when her grandmother was alive. We would go to Luby's and eat, and then drive an hour to my house to eat a real Thanksgiving dinner. There is something about a dinner that is brought together by your mom rather than a cafeteria.

Thanksgiving seemed to be the most gracious day of the year. I don't remember getting hit in the head because my hair was in my eyes or grounded until New Years for not feeding the dog. My sisters weren't usually told by my dad to fix their hair, after they had fixed their hair. I don't even remember hitting my brother in the stomach on this day for saying something stupid. Maybe it was the triptiphan in the turkey. One time my sister's boyfriend even showed up with long hair. Everything went smooth with him until at the dinner table he announced that while he and Melvin were exploring the creek, he and Melvin found Bobby, our long lost dog, in a trap. Mark said, "I think he tried to chew his leg off." My mom screamed and almost passed out. My brother and I were choking on our pumpkin pie we were laughing so hard. Of course we had our heads bowed so it looked like we were grieving.

After eating, we would usually go out in the yard and play football. When my brother and I were young, my brother- in- law, Melvin would send us up the road about 75 yards for a pass, and then walk into the house.

As I got older, one of my favorite memories was when my mom would walk up beside me and give me a hug or rub my back. Sometimes when things settled down we would play a game of scrabble.

Today, I miss my mom. She is still suffering from the stroke she had last summer. This year we decided to stay in Katy because my son came home with a girlfriend -- first time -- and my other son had football practice this morning. Katy plays Madison this Saturday.

Things started changing when Paula's kids started having kids and they stayed in Amarillo. Gayle and Wally usually made it every year -- at least Wally made it through dinner. After dinner he was usually knocked out on the easy chair, with his head thrown back. Wally seemed to be more affected by the triptiphan than the rest of us.

My family was nothing like the Walton's, except for Thanksgiving day. Maybe it was because it was the one day of the year where everyone relaxed and let old dogs lie -- except for Bobby of course.


What are some of your favorite memories of Thanksgiving?