Thank you, Blue Lotus

Nights at the restaurant can be naturally hectic. Dishes are piled up almost everywhere and then persistent customers pile up in the front of the house,Waiting for us to slap food in their bowls so they can move on with their day.

Lucky for them, I just so happen to be the best cook. Locally, at least.

“We need more chicken Don, my pan is getting shallow!”Jace screams at me while grabbing the next few portions for the customers bowls.

“Heard that!”I said, while slapping juicy marinated chicken on the grill in rows of four, cooking about 20 chicken breasts at a time.We never forget the salt. I sprinkle a generous amount of salt onto every single piece and then wait 4 minutes to flip it all over.

While we wait for the chicken I grab a mixing bowl and mix our fresh rice with chopped cilantro and salt and rush it to the servers to restock their pans.Then I rush back to the grill to take the chicken off and cut it up into little cubed pieces.”Chicken behind!”, I scream back while sliding the chicken across the table.Then after all of the serving we do for the day. We hustle to the back of the house and clean until it’s time to go home.

On the way home, I couldn’t help but to think about all the times our customers have came to the restaurant waiting for us to serve them delicious greatness, but can remember none of the times when the customers actually thanked us for the service we provide. Even if a restaurant isn’t a five starred restaurant, shouldn’t people be grateful and at least say thank you? Or maybe that’s my ego talking, I thought while slamming on the brakes to let the geese across the street. As it finally became my turn to go, a faint imagining of the geese saying ‘thank you’, spawned in my head. No, don’t be ridiculous Don. Birds don’t talk, silly. Which is correct, I just couldn’t help but to wish they could’ve said something along those lines.

I pulled into the driveway, turned the car off and tried to rush inside the house when I was met by my Aunt Nana. She pulled the door open and welcomed me inside with a smile springing from ear to ear. My Nana is always happy to see me no matter the circumstances. I could just wake up from a nap and find her smiling by herself in the kitchen, while she’s boiling her noodles and blending her bananas in the juicer. Just enjoying herself and her own company. I aspire to be as graceful as her when I get to be her age.

“Isn’t it a little late for a smoothie, Nana.”, I said lightheartedly in an attempt to avoid commanding her. I’m her caretaker, I only care for her well-being.

“Oh, its never too late for a healthy snack. Nothing wrong with a little banana.”, she says in the middle of putting the last few slices in the blender.

“ok, well you enjoy yourself over there nana, let me know if you need help getting into bed.”, I said while picking the remote to the stair climber off the floor.

I put the remote to her stair climber on the edge of the dinner table. For some reason it was on the floor across from the dog’s bowl.

She could tell when I’m in a reflective mood, she always told me that I wear how I feel on my face. I like to interpret that comment as her telling me I’m very expressive. She’s always giving me wise advice just because she feels its in her place to do so. After all she is my Aunt Nana.

“Don’t let the hard things in life keep you from having a good time Don. Hardships will come and go but happiness and joy will endure….”, she says wearing a cheerful smile.

I know she means well, I can tell by the tone of her voice. so I placed my hand on the back of her shoulders, gave her a light kiss on her head, and told her, “Thank you, love you Nana.”.

Nana wrapped her arms around me, embracing my shoulders. Shes such a tender soul. One time, I told her I was going for a walk around the block, because as a kid this was an adventure time moment for me. After she wished me safe travels, she went in the kitchen and put an apple in a baggie and said, “be safe out there, here’s an apple just in case you see any foxes or raccoons. They’re usually hungry after noon.”. It’s funny because I wasn’t going camping, I was just walking to the park. I love her for that.

I accepted her advice and went to my room and enjoyed a western cowboy movie. The action always puts me in a trance and I think a little more deeply about my life. I probably would’ve enjoyed the movie better if scenes of guns and bombs followed by blank conversations I had with people earlier, pooled in my head… constantly. I turned the tv off and went to sleep, so I can still have a chance at waking early to set the table for tomorrow. Guests will surely be arriving.

My sister and I walked around the neighborhood just like we always do every Thanksgiving. We like to walk around and remind ourselves of the memories while growing up in this quiet neighborhood. Well, while I’m reminiscing Monica is distracted by the orange leaves falling from the trees.

“I Remember that day when I was reading my book on the porch and out of nowhere I heard you scream from the backyard,” Monique says with a light chuckle.

“Oh yeah, and then mom spent that night cursing me out while she washed all my clothes that night. I guess that’s what i get for playing with fart spray.”I said.

“They shouldn’t make those for kids to play with, ya know.”

“No Don, Uncle robby shouldn’t have got YOU that spray for your birthday.”,Monica says in her older sister tone.

“But you were always the outdoor adventure kind of kid. That’s why I liked babysitting you when mom and dad had to work overtime.”Monique says.

“Well I’m glad you enjoyed it”, I replied.

We walked around the block and came across a sign that read, ‘NO TOYS ON GRASS’. Behind the sign was an abandoned house with a broken window right in the middle of the upper half of the home.

“Oh gosh. Remember that time when Mr.Jameson literally threw you off his lawn ?”, Monique whispers still cautious of who once lived in the abandoned home.

”Old man wrinkles.What a legend.” he whispers back. Don stares deeply into the house with glimpses of the old man’s ghost in a fitful rage screaming the words of the sign at the top of his lungs.

“He seemed so angry all the time. I wonder if it was the kids on the lawn that reall made him mad or was there something else going on beyond his front door?”, Don asks curiously.

“I guess we’ll never know.”, Monica replied carefree.

As soon as we got back inside the house everyone hustled to shake hands and greet each other with glad remarks. Monica made no hesitation to help our aunt Nana with the baked macaroni and cheese. Monica always finishes her dinner with the biggest scoop of it and usually gets cheese on the tablecloth because she eats it so quickly.

“Geez, monie I’m surprised you’re still as slim as a slim Jim”, I said lightheartedly, fearing that she might think I’m calling her fat.

When I looked past her while waiting for a reply, I noticed a freeze dried flower with around fifteen petals still gracing us with its bluish hue sitting on a ledge above the fireplace. It was in a glass bulb similar to a snow globe. Just without the snow of course. Looking at that flower made me think, “I bet that flower is just thankful its able to capture the great essence of life. Even though its just dried up in a globe that flower is still able to give us a glimpse of what its full bloom would look like if it was alive in the ground.”. I thought to myself.

And on that note, I stood up from the table and tapped my glass like a bell.

“Hello everyone and thank you for attending aunt Nanas dinner, I just want to remind everyone that no matter what we’re going through, Never let the hardships in life keep you from having a good time. Hard-ships will sail on but happiness and joy will endure….” I repeated with my own creative spin on it.

“And most importantly I want to thank my Aunt Nana, keep on shining Nana your light is what truly keeps me going. Love you” I said, then everyone cheered and dug into their baked mac n cheese and stuffing .

Before I took my first bite I looked out the window and as the day began to get dimmer, the sun started to sink below the horizon and painted the sky with an orange and purple color. Thanksgiving at sunset perfectly set the scene for us to give thanks and prayers for all the joys in our lives.