Flying Barrel Of Monkeys

As a child I disliked Thanksgiving. Stuck in a car traveling long distances to see family and eat traditional holiday food, most of which I didn’t particularly like and some of which I loathed (I’m looking at you, green beans!).

Flash forward 30 years and I’m repeating some of those same patterns with my child. Over the past week I trapped him in the car for four 12+ hour days, on a journey to bury my grandfather. Due to various circumstances, we returned home on Thanksgiving Day which necessitated us eating on the road. As a child on those long car trips I’d always stare longingly out the windows and be so upset that no stores or restaurants were open. But this time I knew things would be different. We’d find open restaurants along the interstate and we’d be able to fulfill that lifelong childhood dream of mine – eating at McDonald’s on Thanksgiving! Even though more restaurants are open on holidays than in the days of my youth, it still took us two states to find one that was serving lunch. We finally pulled into the welcoming Golden Arches and enjoyed a round of Happy Meals for all.