AFTER THANKSGIVING CORRESPONDENCE by BOOMERCAT RATED FRC

Ruth Tracy writes a letter to tell her friend about Thanksgiving on Tracy Island.

My Dearest Tina,

How lovely it was to hear your voice this morning. Once again, I tell you, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. I can never keep the time zones straight either, but there is no time of the day that I am not willing to stop whatever I am doing to talk to you. I was being totally honest when I told you that Scott did not actually wake me up. I find sleep more and more elusive as I get older. As for Scott, I've mentioned before that he is usually up at four a.m. anyway.

Well, enough of that. I'm sure you get the idea. I just had to sit down this evening and write to you and tell you all about our Thanksgiving here on the island. This morning, we got so caught up in talking about poor Mrs. McKendrick that I didn't have a chance to tell you about our plans.

You'll remember from my last letter that Virgil had come home with several turkeys from a trip to Hawaii. The dratted man honestly thought that if he presented me with them that I'd cook them all up for him. It took some doing, but finally Scott convinced him that donating the extra turkeys to the mission over on Moyla was the right thing to do.

Jeff went them one better, suggesting that all of the boys go over to the mission and help serve a meal. As you know, all of my boys are good men, and they agreed quite readily. Several of the missionaries are American, so the idea was for a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving feast.

Virgil, bless him, was just as willing as his brothers, and had the idea to head over to Auckland and buy up toys and clothing for the children. You know, it does my heart good to see how generous those young men are. The minute Virgil suggested it, his brothers all jumped on the bandwagon. Scott insisted that they get plenty of shoes. Alan wanted to simply buy out a toy store and Gordon said he'd clear out the local sporting goods store. When they called John at the observatory, he was practical, as always, and reminded them all to get girl's clothes and toys too.

Jeff had to put a leash on them all, telling them that giving help on a regular basis was more important that simply flooding them with gifts once a year. Scott promised that they'd be prudent and they all piled into a jet and headed out to shop.

Oh, you should have seen when they returned. I still don't know how they managed to fit it all in that jet. It was like Santa Claus' warehouse. Toys and clothing, balls of all sorts, and shoes, you should have seen the shoes!

Well, that was last weekend, and this morning they were all excited to head over to Moyla. Jeff decided to go with them and they begged me to come too. Of course, I wasn't about to go, what with so much work to get done for our dinner. I told them I wanted them home by three, and do you know what Virgil said? He said that he thought that he should cook the turkey and let me have a rest! As if a turkey is any work!

I asked him if he was staying behind, and he told me that he was of a mind to deep-fry that turkey and it wouldn't take but an hour or so to cook. Well, I was dead set against that from the start. You and I remember when frying turkeys was all the rage twenty years back. Half of Kalvesta decided to deep-fry that one year and as I remember it, half of those folks landed up in the hospital and the other half burned down their barns.

I tried to put my foot down, but I had no luck. Every once and a while every one of them will look at me like I'm some old ninny who has to be protected from herself. This was one of those times. I was so mad I was ready to knock their collective heads together, and yes, I mean Jeff, too. He had that indulgent little smirk that just drives me crazy.

I decided then and there they could just do it all themselves. They think they know better than me, well, I figured we'd just see about that. At any rate, this morning they all loaded themselves and their gifts onto our largest jet and off they went.

I have to say, it was very hard not to just go and fix the turkey anyway. I found myself starting to get out the pie fixings twice before I stopped myself. It was even harder stopping Kyrano. He tried to convince me that Virgil had only meant the turkey, and I knew that, but I was set on teaching them all a lesson.

I know it was mean-spirited, but I just couldn't help myself. I've always reacted badly to that little smirk. Jeff got it from his father and damn if he didn't pass it on to all five of those boys. Anyway, I sent Kyrano packing from the kitchen and I waited for them to return.

As I look back now, if I'd thought about it, it was a poor payment for their generous gesture. I know that Virgil had his heart set on the deep frying, but that was as much because he found it to be an interesting engineering problem... but I'll get to that in a moment. Virgil was completely sincere in wanting to save me from the work. He has such a good heart. I wish now that I hadn't been so petty about it, but you know how stubborn I get.

Anyway, eventually they came home and found a cold and empty kitchen. I have to say, they took it so well that I was instantly ashamed of myself. The trip to Moyla was such a huge success that they were all riding on an emotional high. As you know there is nothing quite like the look in a child's eyes when Santa comes to town, and they each got to play the role of Santa. I wish now I had gone along with them.

At any rate, they all just pitched right in. Gordon said he'd take care of dessert. Alan volunteered to do the yams and mashed potatoes. Jeff decided he'd make Waldorf Salad. Scott and Virgil went to set up their turkey fryer.

I remember the days when they would all set themselves up in front of the TV watching football and leave all the work to me. I honestly don't know whether to mourn the loss of those days or not. It was always a very long and tiring day for me. But on the other hand, they've never stinted in their appreciation, not even when they were little, and it's always made me feel so good.

They wanted me to 'take the day off,' but to tell the truth, I would have been at wit's end. I asserted myself and pointed out that not a one of them knew how to make my grandma Ettie's sausage stuffing, and if they wanted any, they would just have to let me into the kitchen. Well, as I've always said, my son and grandbabies are all slaves to their stomachs and it was downright comical how quickly they agreed to let me help.

Poor old Kyrano was quite beside himself when he walked in and found everyone in the kitchen. I thought he'd have one of his attacks right then and there, but I put him straight to work making the bread rolls. As I've mentioned, he's a very self-possessed man, but he was downright nervous with so many people around, so as soon as he had the dough rising, I sent him out to the gardens to get some herbs and vegetables.

When he left, everybody relaxed, and it was apparent that the poor man's anxiety had spread itself around the room. After a moment we all laughed and conspired to keep him out of the kitchen until we'd finished our work, for our health as much as his.

With all four of us working, we soon had all of our side dishes ready to go. Now, I have to say, Jeff's idea of Waldorf Salad is a bowl full of grapes with an occasional apple slice for garnish. And Alan was even worse with the sweet potatoes. I just remind you of his fetish for marshmallows. I'm sure you can picture the casserole. More white than orange. But they were all enjoying themselves, and so was I, so I let it all pass with a minimum of pithy remarks.

To all of our surprise, Gordon came up with a caramel apple pie that just smelled wonderful. Apparently he did more in that underwater dome he was stationed on than just count the fishies. With most everything done, I shooed everyone out of the kitchen to give Kyrano some peace as he finished up on the rolls, and made his own culinary magic with some vegetables.

We all went out to the patio to see how Scott and Virgil were coming with their turkey fryer. They were still constructing it as we came outside, and I must say, I wasn't sure if it was a fryer, or maybe a space rocket, or perhaps an oil derrick. It was all pipes, and about fifteen feet tall, I kid you not.

As you know, those two never do anything halfway, and I think Jeff was appalled at the size of it. Gordon and Alan took one look and decided it was a jungle gym and immediately attempted to climb it. Scott and Virgil simply ignored them and continued working on what was intended to be the burner. For all that it looked rickety to me, it bore both boys weight just fine, and Alan made it to the very top and perched there for all the world as if he sat on fifteen foot poles every day.

Virgil very coolly told the boys to make themselves useful, and had them stringing a cable through a pulley at the top. Jeff started in asking them about the construction and soon the all five of them were hard at it, building their turkey fryer. I just sat back and marveled. I don't see them at work all that often, and it amazes me to see the competent men they've all become.

After a bit, I left them to it, and I went in and set the table with Kyrano's help. Now, you know, I am very big on tradition at the holidays. I wanted to use my mother's white linen tablecloth, but when we spread it over the table, it was just such a rag. It showed all the stains of three generations, and it just broke my heart.

Kyrano saw my distress and reminded me that at one time that tablecloth was brand new with no tradition behind it, and perhaps it was time for a new tradition. He pulled out one of Jeff's colorful, south seas tablecloths. When we set it with the Sampson china, I have to admit it was beautiful. Kyrano got some flowers from the garden for a centerpiece, and with the china gleaming and the crystal shining, it was like something out of a magazine.

For all of that, when I come to visit you before Christmas, you and I, dear, are going into Topeka and we are getting a proper white linen tablecloth. There are just some traditions that I'm not willing to give up.

Once we had the table set, I went out to check on the boys, and they had completed their fryer. The idea was a good one. The entire derrick set up was so that they could lower the turkey into the fryer at a distance. You'll remember poor Mr. Hennessey who was burnt that year when he dropped that turkey into a bucket of boiling oil and it sprayed all over.

Well, they were all feeling pretty full of themselves, and they insisted that I watch as they lowered that huge bird down into their pot. Of course, Gordon and Alan couldn't just stand quietly by, and they made appropriate trumpet hoots and drum roll sounds, then as Virgil lowered it slowly, they 'played' taps. I'm sure you can imagine the antics and I couldn't help but laugh along with the rest of them.

That turkey slipped into the oil without a drop spilled, and I was greatly relieved. Scott and Virgil had set up a table and chairs with the intention of keeping an eye on things, and the rest of us went on inside. I was beginning to think that fried turkey wasn't such a bad idea. As you know, Scott and Virgil are meticulous about safety, and along with drinks and a deck of cards, they had a couple of buckets of sand and two fire extinguishers besides.

Virgil had said that he'd figured it would take 90 minutes to cook... well, actually he said 92 and one half minutes. I don't know where that man picked up that habit, but he is absolutely anal about timing things. Anyway, I went to the kitchen, and along with Kyrano figured when to put the side dishes in the oven so everything would be ready at the same time.

Honestly Tina, I didn't know what to do with myself. Can you imagine a Thanksgiving Day when you don't run around all day? I just felt at loose ends. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. With the boys so willing, I'm of a mind to let them do Christmas dinner too. But not turkey. Definitely not turkey.

Let me tell you what happened... The ninety-two minutes seemed to pass in a moment. Jeff and the younger boys were off watching some football game or other, and I just happened to look at the clock, so I decided to go to the window and watch Scott and Virgil take the turkey out of the pot.

I got to the window just in time to see them both take hold of the cable and start to raise the turkey. The glimpse I got of it as it came out of the pot set my mouth to watering. It looked beautiful, a perfect shade of golden brown. But a glimpse was all I got of it.

Apparently, the twine they had used to tie the legs had come loose, and one of the drumsticks caught on the edge of the pot. The pot tipped enough that oil started spilling out, and even though they had shut down the burner, there was some sort of pilot light that caught the oil and there was an ungodly FWOOSH as the entire pot of oil went up in a fireball.

The windows rattled, and both boys were knocked over by the force of the blast. Virgil kept hold of the cable just long enough for the turkey to fly up to the top of the derrick with enough force to knock it over, straight at the boys. Tina, my heart just stopped, but Scott is nothing if not quick-witted. He saw that derrick starting to fall, and he grabbed Virgil and got them both out of the way in the nick of time. Then he was up and grabbing a fire extinguisher before Virgil knew what was what. Between them they got the fire out before Jeff and the boys could run out to help.

In the end, apart from both Virgil and Scott having singed eyebrows, the only casualty was that damn turkey. It caught on fire and was burnt to a cinder. Although if Scott hadn't used a sand bucket to put it out, I suspect Virgil would have tried to salvage it.

You've never seen such a woebegone look as the look on Virgil's face when he realized that despite buying five, count them, five turkeys, there'd be no turkey dinner for him. The rest of the boys were just as disheartened and a pall of gloom seemed to drop over the entire household.

I wasn't having any of it. I reminded them all that Thanksgiving was not about the food, but about having gratitude for all of the blessings that we have been given over the years. Jeff stood up with me and reminded them that they had so much to be thankful for that being upset over a little mishap was shameful.

Gordon, bless him, rebounded quickly and started teasing Scott and Virgil about their 'turkey crisper' and after a moment, Scott was giving as good as he got, and as quickly as that the gloom dissipated. I told them all to go watch the game, and I would scrounge up a roast or some such to go with our fine side dishes.

I went into the kitchen and found Kyrano, and told him all about the disaster, then he and I went to the freezer to see what we could find. You'll remember that I told you when I first arrived on the island, I gave Jeff holy heck over the fact that he had a walk-in freezer. It seemed so ostentatious at the time. Of course, over time, I've come to realize that without a supermarket down the street, a walk-in freezer is more of a necessity than a luxury.

Anyway, we went into the freezer, and it was in my mind that we pull out the prime rib that I had earmarked for Christmas Eve. I wanted it to be special, not just chicken or pot roast. Well, would you believe, while I was looking for that, Kyrano happened to look on one of the back shelves, and found a turkey of all things! It wasn't one of the ones Virgil had bought and neither of us could recall when it was purchased, but it was nowhere near its expiration date, so we brought it out.

Do you remember back when we were young, and defrosting at turkey took days, and cooking it took half a day? Well, as you know, I actually prefer oven roasting a turkey, but under the circumstances, Kyrano and I used the nuclear cooker to defrost it, then once I stuffed it with Grandma Ettie's stuffing, we popped it back in the nuclear cooker. I know most folks can't tell the difference between oven roasted and 'nuked' turkey, but to me, one of the points of using the oven is the house filling up with the aroma of that bird. It's a wonderful appetizer all on its own. But, given that the day was most gone, and my boys were hungry, I was willing to nuke it just this once.

As it was, it took a good two hours. I was afraid the side dishes would be gummy or tough, but Kyrano is a master at keeping dishes just as fresh as when they were first made. A couple of times, one or another of the boys would make a foray into the kitchen to see what was cooking, but I turned them back each time. With the nuclear cooker, of course, there wasn't a hint of aroma, so none of them had a clue as to what was in store.

When it was all ready, and we called them to supper, they were absolutely dumbfounded to find they had their turkey dinner. I believe if Virgil were the crying type, he would have bawled, he was so happy. We gathered together around the table and held hands and spoke our blessings, and it was all the more wonderful for having been delayed.

After dinner, Virgil came to me and apologized for insisting on deep-frying. He admitted that I had always known what was best, and he was sorry for not listening. But do you know, Tina, I apologized right back. I told him that no one could have foreseen the accident with his turkey fryer, and that I was of a mind to get us a couple of turkeys for him to practice on until he got it right.

I know, it is a profligate waste of food, but honestly, that glimpse I got pretty much changed my mind right then and there, and if I know my boys, there will be no repeat of that accident.

At any rate, that was my Thanksgiving. My heart is full for I have been blessed with my family, and my life, and my friends. And no woman can ask for more than that.

All my love,

Ruth