Tradition...

Usually everyone has a Thanksgiving tradition. Whether it is to cooking your turkey as your mother did, gravy from the drippings of the turkey, pumpkin pie made from scratch, going over to some friend's house for dinner, watching football or the Macy's Parade. But the most famous ones are waking up after the day of giving thanks to beat everyone for the "deals." This is one of my stories when i was younger that i decide to go with my mother for the black friday sales.

I was ten, so the year was 1995/96. Wal-Mart just opened in my hometown of North Bend Oregon. Thanksgiving at my house came to a close and all my family members all but my mother, grandma, aunt, father and me were up. Everyone else in a deep slumber from the turkey spells and fullness of sweets or beer. They were up talking about "black friday." I have never heard of such a day, was this a bad day? Were we not able to go outside? My mother talked with my grandma on the game plan for tomorrow. They would stay up all night and leave the house by 3:30 am to wait in line with the other town folks.

My mother's plan was to drink until it was time to go. I asked my mother if i could stay up and go with grandma and her to this ritual in my family. She gladly told me yes as she took a drink of her Tequila and Squirt. As the hours passed my grandma went to sleep for a while as my mother and I watched TV, ate more turkey, played some game, and cleaned house. I remember passing out for a while, only to be shaken up by grandma to get ready for the trip.

As I dressed warmly as my mother told me it was going to be cold at 4am and to bring some food as no places would be open at this time. We soon arrive to Wal-Mart, the mecca of Bargain Shopping. About 75 people were crowded around the front door waiting to get in. Some people camped out over night. Some brought chairs and blanket from home. Food, drinks, people peeing on the side of the store or by their cars. I remember mostly is my mother brought her flask filled with her drink of choice. "This will get me through this", I remember her saying to me. Soon from 75 people to about four or five hundred people were all behind us. I still can feel people pushing us or trying to cut in front of us. I asked my mother what time it was. She looked at her watch and told me it was five minutes til five am. We saw the employee walking up to the front doors getting ready to unlock them.

The sound of the doors opening and a gush of wind hit us. Everyone pushing, pulling, yelling, trying to pass one another was getting nowhere. Luckily for me my mother was a big lady. All she had to do was push and she could knock over a few people. My mother took my hand and told me know to not let go, "this is where people will go crazy!" We hit the floor of Wal-Mart running. Grandma got a cart, while mom and i booked it for the toy section. Other people had their kids on their shoulders reaching for toys on the higher shelves. My mother reached for one of the last toys, but soon bumped hands with another lady who wants the same toy. The both struggled to get the toy out of each others hands.

Until my mother threaten the other lady. "I will beat the shit out of you if you do not give me this toy", my mother told this lady. She released it and backed away. My mother took another chug from her flask and off we went. The lines were the worst. Everyone wanted to get out and no one wanted to wait in line. I remember pulling pop tarts, fruits, and some juice out of my pockets and eating them over all the things we got that morning. I was so tired from the rush of the ahopping spree. I did not want to go to another black friday ever. I disliked this day. I thought people who did this were crazy. Plus being a ten year boy and going with your mother three sheets to the wind was fun but not for me. I will say this, that year i got all the things i wanted!

Happy Holiday!

my holiday is a bit shattered

So i just got off the phone with the love of my life, and thanksgiving just might be the two of us. Now mind you that he has been sick for the past week, with some sort of bug. He called his parents today and told them that he has felt a bit under the weather, when his parents replied that with him being sick that his father might get what he has. So they are going to stay home. My responds to this is, "How Queer!!!" I am thanksgiving is all about being with family and the ones you love. I mean i could of spent thanksgiving with my family and took John to my hometown. I know how gay I'm about to sound but this is one of my greatest thanksgiving memos.

I wake up to the sounds of my mother going threw there cabinets in the kitchen, writing down a list of things she need to get at the store. Rubbing the sand from my eyes, i see my mother in a nightgown, rollers in hair, face mask on, and her nails painted. I softly ask her what she is doing. She tells me that she is going to go to the store to get what she needs and wanted to know if i wanted to go. I quickly got ready and waited for my mother to finish getting herself ready so we can go. Oh our way to the market, she tells me that we have lots of family members coming to our house. Both from my mother's and father's side. My face lights up like a light bulb. See my family for any holidays always mean so much to me. I never know will it be the last time i see them and tell them i love them and kiss them? Well Back from the store with all the things we need, my mother still beautifier than ever, gets the Turkey ready with the stuffing, Mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, Pies, carrots, bisects, and salads(egg and macaroni). I just sat there and watched her work her magic. Floating around the kitchen, moving from one thing to another. So graceful, beautiful, gleaming with proud excellence's that her dinner was coming along greatly. The guest started to arrive. My mother asks me to greet our guest and ask them if they would like something to drink. I run to the door to greet, My grandma and grandpa. Open arms and warm kisses greet me. I ask if they like something to drink. I go to the kitchen and find my mother is not there. I get what i needed and return to the living room where other family member have arrived and run back to the kitchen and retrieve drink orders. My mother still not in the kitchen as i worry about the food burning. Than my mother emerges from here bedroom in this amazing green dress, Make up on, earrings, perfume, Hair done, and rings and a necklace. She looks like a movie star, and not a trace of her working all day to prepare for this holiday. I go get ready too. I come back, the table is set, my father gets up and says a pray, thanks the lord for my mother and her wondrous cooking, family, friends, food. He cuts the first piece of turkey and gives it to my mother where she serves everyone out. My mouth waters at the sight of all the food infront of me. I am so hungry i could eat a small cow. I taste the first bite of turkey and it's so moist and melts in your mouth. Family member toast to my mother and her cooking as she bows her head in acknowledgment. She smiles and winks at me. I never did know what she meant by that. Maybe that she cooked like that all day. Or just keeping her company while she cook? That is my favorite memory of Thanksgiving i have.

Princessa