"Backward turn backward ............." I now have 77 Thanksgivings to remember, well, not the first few.
I remember many at 319 South Brown Street, in Dayton, Ohio. A big old house, tall ceilings, big rooms, I vaguely remember those, I was 11 when we moved to Oakwood. I mostly remember Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley, my Mom. she loved holidays and family, they were precious to her. She was never happier than when she had the whole family around her for a Thanksgiving Dinner.
She had table items just for specific holidays. Turkeys, pilgrims, a small horse drawn carriage, special dishes and plates, and always, too much food. We always ate early so we could help get rid of some of the leftovers in the evening.
I always liked to see Thanksgiving Day come, it meant Christmas was not too far away. What a great time of the year, Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Most of the years memories revolved around that time of the year.
I think in the 40's sometime, we started watching the New York Parade, followed by the Lions football game, all black and white, and I think some of those memories were in front of the old Philco radio, rather than a TV.
I think I can reflect and still capture those aromas that came from the kitchen, sneaking out and taking a bite of Mom's dressing, and if early enough a bite of some turkey parts.
I think I liked the leftovers as well as the dinner, more informal, could use your hands .... that's when I developed my love for cold turkeys, cold turkey and cranberry sauce and leftover dressing. That dressing, Mom let the bread dry on a cutting board, would boil parts of the turkey for stock, and then to top it off, that rich broth in the bottom of the roasting pan. It was one of the very old, domed top roasters, this one my great grandmother had owned. It is in New Jersey now, I hope it gets used tomorrow. I have her backup one, will do a ham in it tomorrow. Boil celery and onion and butter in that rich broth and pour it over the dried bread, into a big roasting pan, and into the oven.
I think I was generally full, by the time the dinner call came. I guess I ate more before and after the actual dinner, didn't have to mind my manners as much.
One Thanksgiving stands our in my mind. Late 50's in Reno, Nevada. I was working at the Primm, got off at 11 AM, stopped for a festive drink at the bar. Jim Jones was there, we talked, he had no place to go, so I invited him home to dinner. Well, Reno, a lot of divorced gals and single guys, all alone. So, I started inviting them home for dinner. I got home early enough to warn everyone. We went out and got more of everything .... and around 3 or so, they started coming in. Two people had stopped and somehow picked up two large cooked, still hot, turkeys. Everyone brought something, we had an abundance of food. We used card tables, stuff we borrowed from neighbors, but we all got around a large table. I'm thinking there were 16 or more for dinner. One gal, who was a 21 dealer at the Primm, recently divorced, before we started eating, asked if she could say grace.
This was a pretty wild bunch, some professional gamblers, crap dealers, 21 dealers, 2wheel dealers, 3 keno writers, one boxman and a floor boss. Some had grown up in the "rackets" so to speak. I will never forget her prayer. All heads bowed, very reverent, and all thankful that we had all somehow gotten together for this meal.
Everyone hated to leave after dinner, we all just sat around in groups and talked. None had family's in the area, some had none at all, but that group became family, an many sat and talked till late in the evening.
My next shift at the Primm, it was the talk of the club, those that weren't there were jealous, and those that were, talked of the great time we had. Everyone thanked me, again and again. One old boxman, Jack Bailey came up to me as we were getting off shift, took my hand and said, "I really want to thank you for yesterday, it was the nicest Thanksgiving I ever had."
It was a memorable day, obviously one I will never forget, and I am sure tomorrow, any of that group that is still left, will be thinking of that impromptu Thanksgiving Dinner they had in Reno, way back in the 50's.
