Thanksgiving

Well, it's that time of the year. If we're lucky, first the turkey gets stuffed, then we do.

For our family this year, Thanksgiving came one week early. The assisted living home where my 86-year-old uncle lives hosted a Thanksgiving feast the week before the traditional turkey day. It was quite tasty...a fruit appetizer, turkey, gravy, cornbread dressing, green beans, yams, rolls and pumpkin pie. Or if you're a picky eater like our almost five-year-old Rachel, you insist on eating your turkey bland, munch on the rolls and ignore the rest while scrunching up your tiny nose and emoting intermittent "Yuchs". Instead of pumpkin pie, you slowly eat a scoop of chocolate ice cream your mommy graciously requested for you to the point where your pale face sports a liquid brown chocolate goatee.

Then, when the chocolate kicks in, your parents try to prevent you from swinging around the room on the ceiling fan until you come down from the high.

The two caretakers who spend the most time with my uncle joined us for this meal. They cheer him when he gets into "pity parties" and prevent him from doing things he still wants to do physically, but shouldn't. In fact, I don't even know whether his caretaker Benita is Catholic, but even if she isn't, we want to petition the Vatican for special dispensation for her to be declared a Saint. Saint Benita, patron saint of retired optometrists. That position hasn't been filled, has it?

While the residents, families and caretakers ate, they were entertained by the singing of Ken Glessner. Glessner has muscular dystrophy and sings as he works the room from his motorized wheelchair. He told me he asked to sing with Tommy Dorsey during World War II and when his wish was granted, he sang "White Sportcoat and a Pink Carnation." Now, he and his portable karaoke machine go together to more than 160 performances a year. He sings a lot of Sinatra and other musical standards.

Anyway, he had sung an hour or more the other night when he took a brief break. Rachel got up from her seat to talk to him. I watched her from my seat. The next thing I know, Rachel has the microphone and she is singing to everyone!

Well, a turkey Tom and a turkey mom,
Went gobble, gobble, gobble all the day,
Well, a turkey Tom and a turkey mom,
Went gobble, gobble, gobble all the day
Arm and arm, on the farm
They would strut their merry way,
Well, a turkey Tom and a turkey mom,
Went gobble, gobble, gobble all the day!

Rachel then handed the microphone back to Ken Glessner and as residents, families and employees applauded, she gave a little giggle of glee and ran back to her table.

Where this comes from, Rebecca and I have no idea. Both of us get nervous before speaking or singing before crowds of people. Rachel seems to have no such fears.

In fact, Rachel wanted to go back up and do an encore. And for that, we are thankful!