THANKSGIVING

Well, it's here again, . . .
Thanksgiving, . . .an American tradition that always seemed a little weird to me, . . .being from immigrant ancestors, it's always been an odd holiday, . . .I think my grandparents only celebrated it to fit in. It centered around food , so it isn't the most difficult holiday to deal with, . . .My in-laws believe it is a religious holiday, because they are thanking God, . . .somehow, I don't think they celebrate Thanksgiving at the Vatican, . . . whatever.
I'm reminded of a Norman Rockwell story (it didn't take place on Thanksgiving day, but the theme was there)
One day, Norman Rockwell discovered that his Illustration idol, J C Leyendecker lived in the same neighborhood in New Rochelle, NY.He got up the courage to invite him and his brother Frank over to his house for dinner. He was troubled over what to feed them. He decided on a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, he thought to himself, "Who doesn't like a Thanksgiving dinner?"
He hired a cook to prepare the meal and anxiously awaited the arrival of one of his favorite living artists. After pacing back and forth, they finally arrive at his place, . . . poor Norman clams up, . . .doesn't know what to say to these guys, . . .there's all the usual polite gestures of course, but they are basically just staring at each other and Norman was getting somewhat uncomfortable, . . .he needed an "Icebreaker", . . .the dinner bell rings and the turkey is brought out. Before it can even be placed on the table, the hired help takes a fall and the turkey rolls under the table, stuffing and all. Norman and Joe Leyendecker meet under the table trying to salvage the remains of the turkey from the dining room floor. Joe takes a taste of the fallen stuffing "Chestnuts?" he mutters, . . .and then he starts talking about how difficult it is to paint the shiny, glazed surface of a cooked turkey convincingly(he had done a cover painting for the Saturday Evening Post that featured a roasted turkey) After the mishap, they talked for hours about all kinds of things, . . .they became good friends. Shortly before Frank Leyendecker passed away, he gave Rockwell the secret formula for the painting medium that he and his brother Joe used.
Well, . . . maybe it doesn't have too much to do with the holiday apart from the turkey.
Drink a toast and have great Thanksgiving!!