"The Pilgrims made 7x more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanks"

Today is the day to act like today is your day
And you will be surprised that is, that it is.

This Thanksgiving street is lonely. Left or right only the late family member drives by too fast, hurrying to turkey or tofurky and a stiff drink. Outside in the beautiful sunshine, I'm all dressed up, smoking a cigarette, waiting to get picked up and head towards my own stiff drink. Every fifteen minutes, the light-rail rumbles by, probably near-empty but always reassuringly populated by at least one driver and one drunken vagrant.

My plans are made: dinner, then getting picked up by my fella, maybe for vino and a board game. My friends want me (or us) to come out with them, drinks and a hot tub at a late gathering with someone else's family, so my loyalties are torn and I'll put off making a sound decision until much later tonight.

A train is going by now. Coal and fresh fruit, dutifully delivered to remote locations even on this day reserved for giving thanks. I wonder what the conductor is thankful for. Or the pilot of the life-flight landing on the roof of the hospital. Are they grumbling about not being home with their families?

What am I thankful for?

Well, the sun, that's for sure, although it's going down too quickly. Being alive, able to speak always in vague abstractions that might mean something to someone, music, my family I suppose, all arms of it, related and not. Having always people to lean on, cry with, laugh with, drink with, and keep me company. I'm not thankful for the fact that we're late for Thanksgiving for my 20th year in a row, although it's never been my fault, but I am thankful for my ability to say "fuck 'em" and not give a damn what they think about any of it.

What are you thankful for?

Probably many of the same things, although I don't have Stat-Counter so I don't know who you are.

At any rate, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.