A grateful weekend

Tini Sara Anien writes about a girl who discovers gratitude when a Thanksgiving celebration unexpectedly unfolds at home

Angela’s brief time in the US introduced her to a different culture and its people. While there were plenty of special days to appreciate loved ones, a day dedicated simply to being thankful for anything and everything was new to her. And celebrating it with such delicious food was a treat she never forgot.

November was her favourite month. Why so, you ask? Because it was her birthday month. It was during her time in New York that she indulged in pies made using pumpkin and apple, mashed potatoes, cranberry jelly, and stuffed turkey. The bird was most sought after during Thanksgiving Day.

Since the festive holiday fell on a Thursday, many clubbed the Friday and took a long weekend to socialise or rest — like David, her father. Once they were back in India, however, the day just meant a lean workday for David and a normal school day for Angela. “Well, at least you can be thankful for that!” she teased him. David smiled.

This year, Angela’s mid-term examinations ended on the last Wednesday of November, and her classes on Thursday would end by 12 pm. School was closed for the primary students on Friday and Saturday for some final touch-ups for the opening of their new building on Monday. “This means I get a long weekend this time!” she squealed with joy.

But unlike every year, her father, who worked with a US-based company, had been asked to fill in for some seniors in a few meetings for a year-end project. Angela felt frustrated. “Such a boring way to spend my long weekend,” she whined to her father. David said, “All’s well that ends well,” after which he shooed her away from his office room as he had an online meeting to attend.

She lazily switched on the TV, and the remote almost slipped out of her hand. The blaring music from her favourite children’s channel clearly disturbed David, and he loudly shushed her. “Bah humbug! This is the worst weekend ever,” Angela cried out loud. Sighing and sobbing dramatically, she fell asleep on the couch, still hugging the remote.

After what must have been around three to four hours, their doorbell woke her up. “What now? It’s bad enough that I don’t have anyone to play with. Can’t I even sleep now?” the eight-year-old called out loud.

David, still on his call, signalled to her to open the door. Angela noticed a sly smile on his face, but she told herself she was imagining it.

She opened the door and froze. At the door stood her favourite cousin George, who hadn’t visited them for almost two years, along with his parents. “Happy Thanksgiving and long weekend, Angela!” they shouted.

Just as they settled down, the doorbell rang again. In came her next favourite cousins, Ezra and Thaddeus. “And your favourite uncle and aunt will come tomorrow,” they said together.

Angela laughed. “This is the best surprise ever!”

The house suddenly came alive. George challenged Ezra to a pillow fight, and within seconds, the living room looked like it had snowed. Thaddeus tried balancing three cushions on his head like a circus act, but all three toppled over and knocked over a water bottle instead. Nobody tried to stop the chaos — Angela was too happy to mind.

She soon paused. David was a good cook, but cooking for so many people after a working day wouldn’t be easy. She walked into her father’s office, where he was stretching after the meeting. “Dad, you’re going to struggle with cooking so much. Please tell me how I can help,” she said.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I have requested your Aunt Sara to come and help dish out some of your favourites like the pumpkin pie, turkey…” He didn’t complete the sentence.

Angela was smiling wide. “You mean we will have a Thanksgiving spread tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes, my love! Since we couldn’t celebrate your birthday this year, I thought we could celebrate your special day and Thanksgiving on the same day,” David explained.

Angela hugged him and dashed back to the living room.

The next morning brought even more laughter. When Aunt Sara arrived, she marched in with bags full of ingredients and a random bag of onions she didn’t remember picking up. “I think the vegetable man tricked me again,” she muttered.

Thaddeus mistook the frozen turkey for a giant toy and tried rolling it across the kitchen like a bowling ball. Aunt Sara gasped and shook her head.

Meanwhile, Angela was thinking about how she didn’t want to go to school on Thursday. However, she was excited that her classes would end early.

As she walked in by noon, the house smelled delicious. Pumpkin pie baked in the oven, the turkey was marinating, cranberry jelly chilled in the fridge, and mashed potatoes waited in a giant bowl that Ezra kept taste-testing “for safety”.

“It is definitely the season of thanks and gratitude,” Angela said out loud. “I am so thankful to the universe for making things fall in place and for making my long weekend the best one on this planet. I really need to believe that all’s well that ends well!”

Everyone clapped, laughed, and cheered.