Yes, I know it is the wrong poem. But to quote Rush, “I will choose free will.” So what are you doing tonight? “Thanksgiving Eve” for the last 20 or so years has been one of my favorite nights.
Tonight I was supposed to be at Lincoln Center to listen to the Philharmonic’s performance of Beethoven, Bronfman and Bruckner. Instead, I’m home writing and listening to Peter Katz, a Canadian folk singer I discovered during one of Jeff Pulver’s Zoom Zulas. I’ve seen Katz on Pulver’s Zooms several times. Always worth it. It’d be great when this over to see him at a venue in NYC. I’ll get some classical on soon. This is just the warm up. Or maybe a similar style of what I’d be listening to, while in PJ Clarke’s Lincoln Center.
Last Thanksgiving Eve, I was at Lincoln Center. The one before that, you guessed it, Lincoln Center. Years before I made Lincoln Center my venue the night before turkey day, I’d be somewhere in the city. It might be the theater district for one of Broadway’s dramas or musicals. Years ago, when I was much younger, my boys and I would meet up at the original Clarke’s on 55th and Third. One of the gang was a friend of the bartender. We got great deals. We had fun.
In 1996 we started there for a buddy’s bachelor party. We got back to my former home on Staten Island around 2 or 3 a.m. I had to be up in a few hours to go the then Newark Airport to surprise my dad, who was residing in Houston on his 50th birthday. For business reasons, he just moved there from San Francisco.
He knew people were coming for Thanksgiving and his birthday. But my sister and I were the last people he expected. We spent a few days in Houston and San Antonio and flew back to the rock. We had a nice holiday. Dad was thrilled we were the ones who arrived in the Lone Star State.
The night before Thanksgiving is always fun. The next day is, too. My favorites included ones when I was very young at my aunt’s house in Brooklyn. She served franks-in-blankets as an appetizer. I think I like that better than the turkey. My mom did it a few times. She followed my aunt’s routine. I spent many Thanksgivings at my cousin’s home in Manalapan. That was like going to a five star restaurant.
In 2011, I decided to skip Thanksgiving. But guess what? You can’t. I spent the holiday in Tel Aviv. I sat on the beach and called my family. At night I went to volunteer with ELEM Youth in Distress in Israel. That evening, I arrived at 9 Reshit Chochma Street. After hanging out on the street for a few minutes, the ELEM van loaded with social workers and volunteers who coordinate the “Someone to Run With” program arrived. Shortly after, teens and young adults who needed help from ELEM arrived.
As they were chatting, volunteers began preparing sandwiches. They asked me to join them. I was really excited when they handed me a turkey and hummus sandwich. My sketchy Hebrew and their sketchy English made for interesting conversations. Not really understood. But they passed me more turkey. I smiled.
In 2013, I went to my sister’s. She just moved into her new home a week before. Dad flew in from his last place of residence, Florida. We had a great dinner. We lost him a few months later. Thanksgiving was the last time we saw each other.
Well, this year I know that the night before and day of Thanksgiving is different for all of us. Most of us are stuck at home. Some are with family. Some are on our own. It has given me time to reflect on Thanksgivings of yesteryear and remember those who left us and those who are still here and trying to make the best of it. It’s tough.
As I close this piece to Mozart, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.
Prior posts are here.
Pandemic Watch: Empty Galleries
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/24/pandemic-watch-empty-galleries/
Pandemic Watch: The spirit of Coney Island
https://wp.me/p8mDRF-js
Pandemic Watch: Essential Workers
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/17/pandemic-watch-essential-workers/
Pandemic Watch: Rediscovering NYC
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/16/pandemic-watch-rediscovering-nyc/
Pandemic Watch: Gloves
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/13/pandemic-watch-gloves/
Pandemic Watch: Back to the City
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/pandemic-watch-back-to-the-city
“Pandemic Watch: Facial expressions,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/29/939
“Pandemic Watch: What will we do with our masks and gloves at the end?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/22/pandemic-watch-what-will-we-do-with-our-masks-and-gloves-at-the-end
Pandemic Watch, Staying in Shape,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/pandemic-watch-staying-in-shape
“Pandemic Watch: Community groups stepping up,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/pandemic-watch-community-groups-stepping-up
“Pandemic Watch: Have masks replaced fuzzy dice in windshields?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/pandemic-watch-have-masks-replaced-fuzzy-dice-in-windshields
“Pandemic Watch: How will we be entertained?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/08/pandemic-watch-how-will-we-be-entertained
“Pandemic Watch: Communicating via video,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/pandemic-watch-communicating-via-video
“Single Life”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/pandemic-watch-single-life
“Pandemic Watch: Seniors and lifesaving phone calls during the pandemic or other times,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/pandemic-watch-seniors-and-lifesaving-phone-calls-during-the-pandemic-or-other-times
“Pandemic Watch: There are places I remember.”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/pandemic-watch-there-are-places-i-remember
“Pandemic Watch: Creating a new fashion statement,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/pandemic-watch-creating-a-new-fashion-statement
“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop
“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation
“Pandemic Watch: Will my nephew ever know how good it was?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/19/pandemic-watch-will-my-nephew-ever-know-how-good-it-was
“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole
“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times
“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday
“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits
“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime
“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but
“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608
“Trashy Parks,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks
Mitchell's thoughts, photos, etc. 