Turkey Day

Amongst so many other myths regarding our nation's early days, even the positioning of the turkey is said to be moot.

The fourth Thursday of November, for my entire life, has been the day that, no matter what, we have a big turkey dinner.

There was never any deep meaning in any of this, but the story of the Pilgrims and the Indians having the first Thanksgiving in 1621 was always the foundation upon which this annual activity rested, notwithstanding the protestations of any surviving native Americans.

No-one I have ever known has harvested anything, so I can't say that I've ever "celebrated the harvest" on this day. The ubiquitous presence of yesterday's crowds at all the supermarkets in town is the only thing that could even come close to any harvesting that I know of. Butterball turkeys, frozen vegetables, Mrs Smith's pumpkin pies, and don't forget that can of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce...

But don't think for a minute that I eschew this holiday! Au contraire!

I LOVE to eat!

Eating to excess is as American as a spare tire, and it's one of my favorite pastimes.

That we have this holiday set aside every year, on a Thursday, no less (so we can have that four day weekend), makes it the ultimate, uniquely American holiday.

Then, after dinner, we can retire to the couch or the La-Z-boy to watch our favorite warriors vie in mock combat over a token prize of battle...

It's a tradition. And it's one of the most deeply loved traditions we have, here in America.

It's not just about having a day off and eating a big dinner and watching a football game, though. There's a deep significance to all of this that connects intimately to the whole idea of the American Dream.

I mean, we work each day for a goal. The goal is the end of the workday, when we can go home and enjoy whatever we feel like enjoying. We work each day so that we can, ultimately, do nothing and produce nothing. We work all week for the weekend. We work all year for the vacation. And we work all our lives for the retirement.

Heh...

The goal of the American Dream is to not have to work, and not have to produce anything.

And the Turkey Day weekend is the holiday that celebrates this ongoing attainment of being fully sated, completely satisfied, and not having to produce anything of any value at all... for four whole days...

...so that the true overlord of the known universe will get everything he wants.