Plain in the city

A plain Quaker folk singer with a Juris Doctorate in his back pocket, salt in his blood, and a set of currach oars in the closet, Ulleann Pipes under his arm, guitar on his back, Anglo Irish baggage, wandering through New York City ... in constant amaze. Statement of Faithfulness. As a member of the Quaker Bloggers Ad Hoc Committee I affirm that I will be faithful to the Book of Discipline of my Meeting 15th Street Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

An Otway Family Thanksgiving...

Genie mums house thanksgiving morning
Ever since the first Otway fell off the boat into the new world, we celebrate Thanksgiving by remembering the story of the first thanksgiving. They youngest child, generally the only one sober enough to speak, tells this story, before joining the adults in a gin and tonic.... Story of the First Thanksgiving.

It was the night before Christmas, and the Pilgrims where feeling a bit peckish, after the long swim from England, the Mayflower having hit an iceberg and sank. Captain Smith ordered the woman and children into the life boats first, as he knew that there were not enough boats for all, an old tradition in the British maritime, only to find they had forgotten the life boats all together. Although they were still in the Themes Estuary and a scant 10 minute swim to Wapping, they decided that as long as they were already wet, they'd go for it and struck out for New York. On the way they talked it over and decided that as long as they were going through all the trouble they might as well swim to Massachusetts so that their grand kids would all be rich New Englanders in stead of poor New Yorkers, and who wanted to live in a city where the Mayor was a bad tempered Dutch guy with a wooden leg who called the place New Amsterdam anyway, so I am getting off the point, it was time for dinner.
So there were Indians there also, John Smith and his wife Pocahontas, because she was tired of her dad chasing her husband John around with an axe every time he made the same old joke "Hey, did the White guys pay the rent yet?".
Christopher Columbus got the place of honor at the head of the table. He was very old at this point, and probably dead, but was such a figure of respect that no one told him, but rather made sure the head of the table was down wind from everyone and they didn't ask Chris to carve the turkey or they'd all starve. The Turkeys were much larger then, as it was a long time ago and they were still evolving from their Dinosaur ancestors, so one or two fed all of New England, and there was still some left to make clothes out of. So, now you know why we pardon a Turkey at the white house every year, then chop its head off and eat it. Happy Thanks Giving to all and to all a good night, after a little Alka-Seltzer
Cheers Lorcan

7 Comments:

At 10:01 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We always stay in the neighborhood for Thanksgiving. The thing to which we look forward most is the National Dog Show on TV. That, and Mom singing the turkey song:

I heard Mr. Turkey say,
"Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Soon 'twill be Thanksgiving Day,
Gobble, gobble, gobble.
People say it is such fun,
But I think that I will run,
And hide until the day is done,
Gobble, gobble, gobble."

Her mom used to sing that to her. Even when we were in college, she would call us at our uncle's house and sing it over the phone.

 
At 1:28 AM, Blogger Dory said...

What a lovely, elegant home you have!
Any luck on your lost camera equipment?

 
At 2:15 AM, Blogger Lorcan said...

Thank'ee Dory! Well, actually me mum's home is eligant, Genie and I live in a more humble abode (hovel).
No, the lenes, etc. are gone for good, I am afraid.
Thanks again all,
lor

 
At 2:22 PM, Blogger David said...

There are some spaces that silently say, "Here..." and "Now..." and "Ah, you... yes, you..."

Yours seems one of those spaces.

 
At 9:28 AM, Blogger Lorcan said...

Thanks David...
But, again, it's me mum's place... I should post a picture of the dump in which I live!

All the best
lor

 
At 8:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, Lor!

Post a picture of thy place! (dump or no) I'd love to see it!

 
At 2:33 PM, Blogger Lorcan said...

I am in the process of cleaning, I will omit the before shot and soon post the after shot!
=)
lor

 

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