Why Thanksgiving isn't really that special to me
I think it started back in 1983. I was living at home and going to college - mostly at Penn State, Berks campus... but I took some summer courses at Kutztown where I met D. His family invited me to Thanksgiving dinner and because his family has it late in the day (5 or 6) and mine always had it early we figured I could do both. Pigging out wasn't what was on my mind - spending time with family was.
But my family was not at all happy and insisted that I could NOT have two thanksgiving dinners. What choice does one make when faced with an unreasonable one? They choose not to be with the people forcing a choice.
Everything blew up that week. On Wednesday I had a HUGE fight with my mom before I went to work that day at Arby's. I tossed a few extra pairs of clothes in my bag when I left for work (she drove me, but it was in response to me saying "are you going to drive me, or should I walk?"
Dave picked me up and instead of going to his parents Thursday afternoon, we drove there that night. We came back Friday for a party at a friend's house and just happened to bump into my Grandmom at the mall (Berkshire) before the party. She told us because I hadn't come to dinner she had to take two plates away from the table. Oh wasn't that special, Mom. You never told us Dave was even welcome at my Grandmom's! I found a room to rent near Berks campus and got my job switched to a closer Arby's and ate ramin noodles for the next 6 months.
I cemented the rift by accepting their invitation to go to Florida in December. That was a wonderful trip - Key Largo... Disney. "But how could I go away over the holidays?" (why would I want to stay?)
And then a few years later, I worked more then one Thanksgiving at the nursing home and didn't feel like I was welcome to even come over and socialize after work. I remember one phone conversation from work that left me crushed because they didn't want me to come by. (I think that was my mom again)
Most recent years I ended up working (dyeing) a lot that day.
Yes, it's nice to be with friend's, on that day, and I appreciate the invitations. But it's nice to be with them ANY day. But it's not the worst thing in the world to work on Thanksgiving. Even in retail.
But my family was not at all happy and insisted that I could NOT have two thanksgiving dinners. What choice does one make when faced with an unreasonable one? They choose not to be with the people forcing a choice.
Everything blew up that week. On Wednesday I had a HUGE fight with my mom before I went to work that day at Arby's. I tossed a few extra pairs of clothes in my bag when I left for work (she drove me, but it was in response to me saying "are you going to drive me, or should I walk?"
Dave picked me up and instead of going to his parents Thursday afternoon, we drove there that night. We came back Friday for a party at a friend's house and just happened to bump into my Grandmom at the mall (Berkshire) before the party. She told us because I hadn't come to dinner she had to take two plates away from the table. Oh wasn't that special, Mom. You never told us Dave was even welcome at my Grandmom's! I found a room to rent near Berks campus and got my job switched to a closer Arby's and ate ramin noodles for the next 6 months.
I cemented the rift by accepting their invitation to go to Florida in December. That was a wonderful trip - Key Largo... Disney. "But how could I go away over the holidays?" (why would I want to stay?)
And then a few years later, I worked more then one Thanksgiving at the nursing home and didn't feel like I was welcome to even come over and socialize after work. I remember one phone conversation from work that left me crushed because they didn't want me to come by. (I think that was my mom again)
Most recent years I ended up working (dyeing) a lot that day.
Yes, it's nice to be with friend's, on that day, and I appreciate the invitations. But it's nice to be with them ANY day. But it's not the worst thing in the world to work on Thanksgiving. Even in retail.