MY FIRST THANKSGIVING

I was so proud of my new apartment. Everything in my life seemed perfect. A recent technical school graduate, a great job and a new apartment. Why not invite Mom, Dad, my teen-aged sister and my Grandparents over for Thanksgiving dinner? My sister was still in high school and a little reluctant to eat what I prepared. Mom was a little more brave. Probably remembering her own "First Thanksgiving".
I shopped for the turkey and all the trimmings. We were going to have the best Thanksgiving dinner ever.
I made place cards for everyone at the table. We were still using my old "china", which happened to be hard plastic which had seen me through life in the dorm. I think it was handed down from my Grandmother. She and Grandpa were in for a treat too.
I set the alarm for 4 a.m. I knew I had to put the turkey in early, just like Mom had all those years. I never watched her prepare the turkey. I was afforded the luxury of waking up on Thanksgiving morning, stepping out of bed to a cold floor, rushing to a warm kitchen bursting with all those aromas of turkey roasting in the oven, and pie and home-made bread. By the time I got up, the potatoes were also on the stove boiling.
I prepared the menu the day I invited everyone. I checked it many times, adding or deleting food. The week before, I was confident we were going to have a wonderful, delicious Thanksgiving dinner together.
Mom called the night before not really offering much advice, just told me she could come early in the morning if I needed her.
I remember thinking, 'what's the big deal Mom? I can do this.' After all I had been making pancakes for years.
I wiped the sleep from my eyes and cut the plastic from the turkey, and realized it was still frozen. Oh, well, not such a problem. I wrapped aluminum foil all over it, stuck it in the roasting pan. Just like Mom used to do. Popped it into the oven.
The potatoes were ready to mash, the sweet potatoes ready to pull out of the oven, and the turkey ready to carve by the time everyone got to my apartment that morning.
I was counting on Mom to make the gravy, a task I hadn't learned yet. I nodded and hugged her. "Thanks Mom."
She turned to face me and said, "where are the giblets and the neck?"
"I don't know Mom. I didn't buy any. I guess you need those for the gravy?"
I remember her smile. She said, "I always boil them and use the broth also for the dressing."
Sorry Mom, my dressing came from a box.
She started carving the turkey and discovered 'what happened to the giblets and neck', they were still inside the turkey, which was still cold on the inside.
Grandma brought delicious pumpkin pies.
I can't remember what we actually ate besides dressing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie that year, but it was a Thanksgiving none of us ever forgot.