Thankstaking

Thanksgiving day. Usually my family celebrates the legacy of the holiday by volunteering at a homeless shelter to hand out smallpox blankets. But this year we decided to gorge ourselves on foul and fat. I thought a grocery store would be an appropriate site for a piece of work.

I felt really exposed doing this. I tried something new, washable chalkpaint markers. These were difficult to work with on a metal surface during a cold, windy day. And I got a few more wayward glances than normal from folks thinking I was permanently defacing property. As I was working a car pulled up behind me and honked a good long honk. Oh, no. Who was here to harass me? Turns out it was my sister, on her way back from a last minute jaunt to the grocery store to get some essential element for our smorgasbord. She was quite surprised to see me here,

working bright and early on this Thursday.

This piece actually washed away much quicker than any of my plain chalk drawings...

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays, like Columbus day, that has been white-washed and glossed-over so much, and it has turned into just another day of American gluttony. As a teacher, this is one of those things I intend to teach a bit more balanced than I received it as a youngster. There is a play between what is perceived, what really happened, what is appropriate to for children at various age levels, and what their parent want them to believe. However, Santa Clause will not be in my lesson. Parents, that's a warning. Have that talk before you send them to school.

I mean, who should we really be thanking for this great country of ours...?