Train Drive Thru Thanksgiving
Part II
Dearest God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Thank you once again for the many blessings that you bestow upon us hourly, weekly and monthly.
I hope all is well with you, Dear Readers, in our town of Grand Rapids, Michigan on this November 24, 2020 as we prepare the Thanksgiving dinner.
We will celebrate Thanksgiving differently this year because many of us are unable to sit at the dinner table with all of our family.
Dear Readers, let us get back to our story from last week. Mr. and Mr. Jones had just heard the announcement of 247,304 deaths on the television. The room became very quiet as the Jones' looked at each other. "Well, there is lots of food in the kitchen," said Mrs. Jones!
Then Mr. Jones said, "There is lots of love in our family and I don't want any of them to get sick."
Aunt Rae is too old to take that chance. We have kept Mom and Dad safe; boy this is hard.
But I got a plan! Let's cook and Mom and Dad can help!
First, let's get your cell phones and call everyone now. Tell them dinner will be served at 3:00pm on Thanksgiving Day, but they cannot come in. Just come to the driveway, come on the porch and get a plate! Or you can call and order what you want and we will pass it out to you.
When called, Aunt Rae said, "I am soooo glad you called. I did not want to hurt our feelings, but that virus might hurt me. I want to see my next birthday. I got me a smart phone and maybe we can see each other!"
Aunt Kay called. She was laughing and said, "I called to get a ticket for the train and they told me, 'You must have a negative test and wear a mask.' I wear a mask when I go to the store, but cannot wear a mask too long; so my loves, I won't be able to come give my love to all.
My granddaughter Susie, was so worried that I was willing to make the trip, she is making us a big fat chicken pot pie!
One by one, each family member was called to hear the change of plans; but the last call to Bell, their baby girl, was different.
Bell said, "Mama and Daddy, I had plan to keep it to myself, but … well …, my boyfriend had a cold last week and then he said he could not taste or smell food. We had a fight when I told him to get tested. He told me off and said, 'I don't believe the lie about the virus! I will not wear a mask! I got my rights!' When I called him last night, he was coughing. I won't be at the dinner. Please forgive me for I made plans to come until I heard him coughing."
The Jones got busy cooking everything. His (Mr. Jones) mom and dad helped.
Dear Readers, I wish you could see the dishes — yams soaked in a caramel sauce, greens simmering in a pot with 3 ham hocks in the middle, cornbread, yeast rolls, a veggie plate and mac and cheese.
The time was 3:00pm Thanksgiving Day. The family cars, one by one, started to arrive.
Family members got out of their cars with their masks on and said to their parents, "We love all of you. Thanks Mom, Dad, Granny and Paw- Paw for the wonderful plan.
They were served by their parents; a delicious plate of food in take-out containers.
It was over. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jones made the right choice!
Out of nowhere, came a knock on the door. There stood a young man dressed in his Army clothes. It was Little Bill who said, "I am home for 3 months. May I have a plate?
Paw-Paw wiped the tears of joy from his eyes and said like all of us, "Thank you God, Jesus, Holy Spirit!"
Keep reading the GRT
Myrna P. Granderson, RN, is a Story teller, Poet, and the Producer and Director of Yellow Light Ensemble Acting Group.
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