11.23.25 - Part - 2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, and welcome to realize to her story Hour as
a reminderized a reading service intended for people who are
blind to have other disabilities that make it difficult to
read printed material. Today we will be reading from various
books on Thanksgiving. Your reader today is Diane. We will
begin with the first story, The Thanksgiving Door. It was

(00:25):
published by Houghton Mifflin Company and has a copyright year
of two thousand and three. And our author is Debbie Attwell.
Thanksgiving Day, Ed and Anne were home alone and then
oh no, Anne burned to the dinner. Anne felt plain
awful because she had ruined Thanksgiving. She decided that she

(00:45):
had to iron clothes. But Ed was hungry. Let's go
see if that new restaurant down the street is open.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Ed said.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Oh all right, said Anne, but it won't be the same.
The door to the New World Cafe was open. Hoorah,
said Ed. He quickly hung up their coats. An said,
is this a Thanksgiving table decoration? This looks like a
pilgrim and an Indian? But who's the dancing man with
the beards. I'm not sure that we should be here?

(01:14):
Ed nonsense, replied ed. Their door was open. Many unhappy
eyes peered through the kitchen door. This is horrible, Leon whispered,
who left the front door open. We can't have customers today.
Our party will be ruined. Let's get rid of them,
said Tatiana. I'll bang these pots together. The noise will

(01:36):
scare them away. Grandmother had heard all that she could hear.
She dropped her piled potato into the pot and said,
enough in old country, bang pots at wolves, not hungry people.
Today's Thanksgiving day. Family cooks turkey big as a dollhouse.
But we don't share.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Bah.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
She shook her head. Grandmother is right, said, oh, get
some chairs. Ogus showed Ann and Ed to the best
seats at the table, and Sophia brought two more table settings.
Grandmother said, Happy Thanksgiving, Welcome, welcome. We are glad that
you are here. And that's how Anne and Ed found
themselves guest of honor at this family celebrated their first

(02:21):
Thanksgiving in the New World cafe. After dinner, Ed asked
for a check, but everyone pretended not to understand. No, no, no,
we dance now.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
Please stay.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Anne and Ed had never heard of a family dancing
on Thanksgiving, but they were having such a good time
they just said yes. Ed followed the men upstairs to
help move tables out of the way. Anne stayed with
the women and got to hold the new baby, Sonya.
Uncle Carl struck up the band and the young dancers
got things started.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Soon everyone joined in.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Even Ed, who had never danced a lick in his life,
kicked up his heels.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Anne loved to dance.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
She knew all this. She taught everyone the conga. In
no time at all, they were dancing in one huge
congo line.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
What a hit? Was really late.

Speaker 1 (03:08):
When Anne and Ed said their goodbyes, Grandmother gave in
a table decoration. Papa and Ed traded hats and gave
her telephone number to Sonia's mother in case she ever
needed a babysitter. They all said thank you for making
this such a very special Thanksgiving. When it was time
to lock up the cafe, Papa could not get the

(03:29):
front door to close. When he looked down, he found
a raw potato jammed under the door. How did that
stupid thing get there? He asked? In old country Thanksgiving
doors like happy heart opened up big and white potato.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Good for that. Grandmother said, you're right, was all Papa said.
When they got.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
Home, Anne lit to the candle from the cafe and
made tea. What are you most thankful for on this
wonderful Thanksgiving?

Speaker 2 (03:56):
She asked?

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Ed thought many things crossed his mind, but what was
he most thankful for? Well, he said, I guess I
have to say, my dear, that I'm most thankful that
you burned our dinner.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Oh ed, she said, me too. Our next book is.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
Titled Sarah Gives Thanks and it was published by Albert
Whitman and Company. It has the copyright year of twenty
twelve and the author is Mike Aleegra. The turkey was
fresh from the oven, Sarah Josepha Hale asked her five
children and join hands in thanksgiving. The baby grabbed onto

(04:34):
Sarah's finger, but the other four hesitated. Sarah understood they
had just returned from their father's grave, and we're not
in a thankful mood, so she bowed her head alone.
Dear Lord, we are thankful for having known him, she began.
We are thankful for his love, and we are thankful
for the love we have for each other. As Sarah spoke,
her children fumbled for each other's hands. As one, they

(04:57):
thank God for their good fortune. After she said Amen,
Sarah went out one last silent prayer. Please God, help
me find a way to support my family. Sarah knew
she needed to find a job to raise five children.
Did good jobs for women even exist, She couldn't think

(05:19):
of a single one. It wouldn't be easy, but Sarah
vowed to find a way. Selling hats was not the way.
It wasn't long before Sarah couldn't stand the sight of
those feathered and flower, gaudy and garish, completely useless hats.
But it wasn't all bad. When no customers were to
be found, she reached for a pen and wrote. Sarah

(05:39):
always loved to write. Sarah's love for words began when
she was a young girl. Her mother, Martha Buell, taught
her the books of the Bible, the place of Shakespeare,
and the poetry of Milton. Sarah soon wanted to know more,
much more, But to Sarah's great disappointment, women were not
allowed to go to college. A woman was expected to

(06:01):
be a housewife and mother. She didn't need a college
education to do those things. After an older brother, Horatio,
was admitted to Dartmouth College, however, Sarah saw her chance.
When he was home on breaks, she borrowed into burrowed
into his textbooks, and peppered him with questions. Horatio didn't
want to think about school on his summer vacation, but

(06:24):
Sarah insisted, I AM not going to go away, Horatio.
She told him, therefore, you might as well do as
I ask. Horatio knew this was true, so Sarah received
a college education without ever going to college. Sarah's education
continued after she married David Hale, a lawyer, in eighteen thirteen.

(06:45):
They loved each other and they both loved words. Each
evening in their cozy New Hampshire home, after putting the
children to bed, they would perch in front of the
fire and read and talk into the night. David admired
his wife's writing encouraged her to submit her poetry to magazines.
A few of Sarah's pieces were published. She liked seeing

(07:05):
her work in print. Then David died in eighteen twenty two,
and everything changed. Sarah was so filled with grief she
insisted on wearing a black dress every day for the
rest of her life. Whenever Sarah found a spare moment,
she wrote, But this time it wasn't for the thrill
of seeing her work in print. It was to keep
her family from starving. Soon, Boston magazines began to feature

(07:28):
Sarah's writing, much to Sarah's delight, With many publications came payment. Now,
after putting the children to bed, she would perch in
front of the fire with a pen and a pot
of ink, and work into the night, scratching out words
to put food on her table. The Hell's Thanksgiving of
eighteen twenty six was quite different from the one of

(07:50):
four years earlier. Sarah wasn't earning much as an author,
but the family's fortunes were improving. Magazines continued to print
her work. Her book of poetry, The Genius Obliviation sewed well.
Her children were well fed and happy in receiving good educations.
The prayer of thanks before dinner was especially long. Late

(08:11):
that evening, Sarah resumed work on her first novel, Northwood.
She rifled through the pages and found the exact spot
for some thoughts that had been rattling around in her
brain all day. We have two few holidays. Thanksgiving, like
the fourth of July, should be considered a national festival
and observed by all our people. Thanksgiving was not celebrated

(08:32):
by everyone in the eighteen twenties. Different states observed the
holiday on different days. In the southern States, Thanksgiving was
usually not celebrated at all. The Pilgrims settled in Massachusetts,
so many considered it a New England holiday. But to Sarah,
Thanksgiving was not about the Pilgrims and the Indians and
their famous feast. Thanksgiving was about what that feast meant.

(08:56):
The holiday helped Sarah to look beyond her personal problems
and a preciate what she had. That message could be
of value to everyone, she thought, from north to South
and everywhere in between. Northward was published in eighteen twenty seven.
It was his success. The book soon led to a
job offer. The publisher of a new women's magazine thought

(09:18):
Sarah would be a great editor editress, she insisted so
be it. With the promise of steady work, Sarah Hall
packed up her family and headed to Boston. There were
a number of women's magazines in Boston. They were all
edited by men, and they devoted a page after page
to English and French fashions and their horrible hats. Sarah

(09:40):
made sure Ladies Magazine was different. She printed articles on
history and science and new schools for women, and she
urged women to exercise, even though at the time, women
who did so were called the ultimate naughty word. Unladylike
the magazine thrived, and in eighteen thirty seven, Sarah went
on to become the editress of another larger magazine. Before long,

(10:04):
she turned Lady's Book into the most widely read magazine
in the country. Sarah Josepha Hale became a household name.
People listened to her.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
She gave a.

Speaker 1 (10:15):
Book a good review, it turned into a bestseller. If
she encouraged people to donate to a charity or patriotic cause,
the money came pouring in. Her opinions mattered, and her
opinion about Thanksgiving never changed. Each follow Sarah wrote about
Thanksgiving in her magazine. She explained how it promoted family, friendship, gratitude,

(10:36):
and religion. She even offered a delicious recipe for pumpkin pie.
With each passing year, more and more families across America
celebrated the holiday. She also dashed off letters to governor's, businessmen, diplomats,
and admirals asking for their support for a national Thanksgiving
holiday to be held on the last Thursday of November.

(10:57):
Those who didn't pledge their support often live to regret it.
In eighteen fifty two, Sarah wrote, last year, twenty nine
states in all the territories united in the festival. This
year we trust that Virginia and Vermont will come into
this arrangement. Women across the country read Sarah's editorial. All
of them learned that the governors of Virginia and Vermont

(11:18):
were not among Thanksgiving supporters, and wasn't that a shame?
Letters of complaint arrived by the sich Fool. Governors listened
to the popular headdress, but only the president could make
the Thanksgiving the national holiday. Beginning in eighteen forty nine,
Sara made an annual tradition of making her case to
the president. Unfortunately, the president made an annual tradition of ignoring her.

(11:42):
She wrote letters to President Zachary Taylor, then to Millior
to fillmore than to Franklin Pierce, than to James Buchanan.
None of them listened. I am not going to go away,
Sarah said. Therefore the president might as well do as
I ask. The next president was able to Lincoln. When
Lincoln received Sarah's letter, the nation was in the middle

(12:04):
of Civil War. Lincoln understood that sometimes it was hard
to remember good things in bad times. People needed a
day to be thankful for food on their tables, roofs
over their heads, and the blessings in their lives. Thanksgiving
was exactly what this nation needed. President Lincoln did as
Sarah asked. On October third, eighteen sixty three, Lincoln issued

(12:25):
a proclamation declaring the National Day of Thanksgiving be held
on the last Thursday of November. The holiday has been
celebrated every year since Sarah Hall's dream of united national
Thanksgiving had finally come true. Took her thirty six years,
but she didn't mind. Sarah was thankful. Our next book

(12:48):
is titled We Gathered Together, Now Please Get Lost, and
it was published by C Star Books, a division of
North South Books and Corporate. It has a copyright ear
of two thousand and one and the author is Diane
de Groached. Gilbert was so excited that he tossed and

(13:09):
turned all night. Tomorrow his class was going on a
field trip to Pilgrimtown, and Gilbert kept thinking about how
much fun it would be. Frank was going to be
his buddy for the trip and promised to bring his
checkers for the bus ride. Gilbert finally drifted off to
sleep when bame something hopped bopped him on the head.

(13:31):
Gilbert walked with a start and fell off the bed.
His sister, Lola laughed and waved her dollar around. You
have to get up, she said, I am up, Gilbert said,
but he was really down on the floor, stuck between
the bed and the wall. Lola tried to bop him again.
Mom says, you're late for school. Gilbert had never been

(13:51):
late for school, but today he was tired and didn't
want to get up. When Gilbert stomped into the kitchen,
his socks didn't match, toothpaste was dribbling new on his shirt,
and his hair was sticking up in all the wrong places. Oh,
dear mother said when she saw him, it looks like
you got up on the wrong side of.

Speaker 2 (14:09):
The bed today.

Speaker 1 (14:10):
She handed him his lunch bag as he heard out
the door. Gilbert had missed breakfast in his stomach ground
all the way to school. When he got to his classroom,
missus Bird had already marked him absent. She erased the
X next to his name and said, you should be
thankful that we didn't.

Speaker 2 (14:26):
Leave without you, Gilbert.

Speaker 1 (14:29):
Gilbert wasn't so thankful when he saw that everyone had
already picked their partners for the trip. The only person
left without a buddy was Philip. Philip was always the
last one to get picked for anything. He couldn't catch
a ball or run fast. He was also a big tattletel,
and now he was Gilbert's buddy. When the bus started
down the road, Gilbert looked around. Frank and Kenny were

(14:51):
playing checkers, Patty and Margaret played travel Battleship, Lewis and
Sam read a comic book. Gilbert and Philip just sat.
Gilbert's stomach ground again. He opened his lunch bag, but
Philip said, I'm telling the teacher that you're eating on
the bus. Gilbert closed the bag. Finally, missus Bird said,
now class were almost there at Pilgrim Town.

Speaker 2 (15:13):
We'll see how the early settlers lived.

Speaker 1 (15:16):
They were thankful that they got through a hard winter
and celebrated their first harvest with a thanksgiving feast. During
our visit today, I wanted you to think about all
the things that you can be thankful for. Paddy raised
her hand and said, I'm thankful that no one threw
up on the bus. Lewis shouted, I'm thankful that we
didn't have to do spelling today. Everyone laughed, except Missus

(15:38):
Bird and Philip, who was the best speller in the class.
Gilbert just slouched in his seat and said, I'm thankful
that we're almost there. When the bus pulled into the
parking lot, Missus Bird said, remember to stay with your
buddy at all times so no one will get lost.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
Two by two, they walked.

Speaker 1 (15:56):
Through the village, where people in costumes talked about how
the Pilgrims lived. As they headed towards the blacksmith's shop,
Gilbert ran to catch up with Frank and Kenny. Philip
ran after him, calling, hey, wait for me. Frank said,
too bad, we can't be triple buddies, Gilbert, but you
have to stay with Philip. When Philip caught up, he said,

(16:18):
don't lock so fast, Gilbert. Missus Bird wants us to
stick together. So Gilbert walked really really slowly. Philip pulled
it his sleeve and said, hurry up, Gilbert. At the
hay barn, Gilbert hid behind a group of older kids,
but Philip found him. Stop at Gilbert, he whined, I'm
telling missus Bird that you're fooling around. You're a big tattletee.

(16:39):
Gilbert said, why don't you just get lost. I'm telling
missus bird that you called me a tattletee, Philip said.
On the way the picnic area, Gilbert slipped into the
restroom when Philip wasn't looking and locked the door behind him.
Now Philip would never find him. Gilbert wait a few minutes,
then went to unlocked the door. The lock wouldn't turn.

(17:01):
He tried again, but it was stuck. He banged on
the door, yelling, hey, Philip, I'm in here. Philip didn't answer.
Gilbert banged on the door again. Is anyone out there?
He shouted? No one answered, ooh oh. Gilbert thought, if
Philip didn't see him go into the bathroom.

Speaker 2 (17:17):
No one would know he was in there.

Speaker 1 (17:19):
Or worse, Philip might not even tell anyone that Gilbert
was missing.

Speaker 2 (17:23):
That's what Gilbert would do if he were Philip.

Speaker 1 (17:26):
The class might leave without him, and Gilbert would have
to spend the whole night here alone in the bathroom
in the dark. Suddenly the doorknob jiggled. Is somebody there,
Gilbert said. It was Philip Gilbert. He said, I've been
looking all over for you. I can't get out, Gilbert said,
The lock stuck. Hold on Philip said, I'll get help.

(17:49):
After a few minutes, the guide came with the key.
When Gilbert finally got out, he saw Philip, but not
the rest of his class. Ooh oh, he cried, we
lost our class. The guide smiled and said, then we
better check the Lost and found. As they walked to
the visitor center, Gilbert knew he was going to be
in big trouble and Philip was too, all because of him.

(18:11):
Gilbert waited anxiously with Philip at the lost child corner
until the class appeared. But Missus Bird wasn't mad. She said,
there you are. I'm so glad we found you. Louis
wasn't so glad. He said, we could have been eating
lunch already, but we had to come looking for you
and Philip. Gilbert said, it's not Philip's fault. I was

(18:32):
hiding from him and got locked in the restroom, but
he found me, and God help. Patty said, oh, Gilbert,
you weren't being a very good buddy, and Frank said,
I'm glad Gilbert wasn't my buddy. But Missus Bird said,
let's just be happy that we are all safely here together.
To celebrate, she bought some pies and Pilgrim hats, and

(18:54):
led the class outside to a picnic table. When they
were all seated, she said, to Charl's Thanksgiving Day, what
are some of the things we should be thankful for?
Pumpkin pie, Lewis said, helping himself to a piece, Thanks
for getting lost, Gilbert, Patty said, I'm thankful, but we
don't have to live like the Pilgrims did. They didn't

(19:16):
have TV or comic book. Sam added. They went around
the table. When it was Gilbert's turn, he thought for
a minute and then said, I'm thankful that I didn't
have to spend a Thanksgiving locked in a bathroom. Thanks Philip,
Everyone shouted yay Philip. Philip turned red and said, that's
what buddies are for. On the walk back to the bus,

(19:39):
Gilbert said, close to Philip, very close. On the bus,
Gilbert borrowed Frank's checkers and he and Philip played five games.
Philip won every time. Our next book is called Thanksgiving
It the Tampletons, and it was published by Harper and
imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, has a copyright year of

(19:59):
nineteen to nineteen ninety two, and the author of our
story is Eileen Spinelli. Thanksgiving at the Tampletons was always
a big day. Thanksgiving It the Tapletons meant, of course,
the Tampleton family, Mister Tampleton, Missus Tampleton, Jenny Tampleton, Kenny Tampleton,
and grandmother and Grandfather Tampleton, and Aunt Henna, and Uncle Fritz,

(20:23):
and most certainly, of course, the turkey and the trimmings
was still dark when Missus Tampleton let led to the
oven and took the big turkey out of the refrigerator.
Just then someone knocked at the kitchen door. It was Mike,
the milkman. Good morning, Missus Tampleton. I thought you might
like some eggnog. As Missus Tampleton reached for the egg nog,

(20:44):
the turkey slipped from under her arm. Now, on a
warmer day this might not have been a problem, but
this Thanksgiving day was quite cold and the step was
covered with ice. Before sheer Mike could even think the
turkey had slithered into the yard.

Speaker 2 (21:00):
Get it, shouted Missus Tampleton.

Speaker 1 (21:02):
Mike reached out, but the turkey skid it past him
through the gate into the street. Hurry, screamed Missus Tapleton.
Stop that turkey. The milkman chased the turkey. Missus Tampleton
chased the milkman, and the turkey slid down the hill
into the pond. PLoP, splash, It bubbled out of sight.

(21:23):
When mister Tapleton came down to breakfast, he took a
long sniff. I don't smell turkey, he said to his wife.
Of course, you don't smell turkey. She replied, you have
a cold. I don't have a cold, he insisted. Missus
Tampleton shook some pepper in the air. Her husband sneezed. See,
she said, you do have a cold. After breakfast, mister

(21:48):
Tampleton put on his coat and scarf and hat and gloves.
I'm going to the bakery to buy our pies. Missus
Tampleton handed him his boots. Where are these? She said,
I know for a five it is quite slippery out today.
Sims Bakery was so crowded the line reached out onto
the sidewalk.

Speaker 2 (22:06):
Mister Tapleton.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
Hated to wait in long lines, so he went to
the diner for a cup of coffee. By the time
he got back, the long line was gone, and so
were the pies. No pumpkin, no mince, no rubarb.

Speaker 2 (22:20):
Nothing.

Speaker 1 (22:21):
Mister Tapleton was afraid to go home with nothing. Two
boxes tied up with string plates, he said. Missus Simms
stared at him. You mean two empty pie boxes. That's right, my,
they feel light, remarked Missus Tapleton. Certainly they are light,
reported mister Tapleton. Missus Simms prized herself on.

Speaker 2 (22:43):
How light her pies are.

Speaker 1 (22:47):
Missus Tapleton set the table. She called her son, Kenny,
you may make the salad. There's lettuce in the crisper,
and carris and randishes too. Kenny's face grew pale. Just
yesterday he had emptied the crisper and fed all the
vegetables to the rabbits in mister Butterworth's class.

Speaker 2 (23:05):
How could he tell his mother?

Speaker 1 (23:07):
He couldn't, so he covered the empty salad bow with
a luminum foil and stuck it in the back of
the refrigerator. When the others went to pick up the
relatives at the train station, Jenny stayed behind to mash
the potatoes. Every year, this was her job and she
loved it. This year, she thought, I'll make them even better.
I'll use the blender. Just as Jenny flicked on the switch,

(23:29):
the phone rang. It was her best friend, Nora. If
there was one thing Jenny loved to do better than
mashed potatoes, it was talk.

Speaker 2 (23:37):
Jenny talked and talked and talked.

Speaker 1 (23:39):
To Nora, and she might still be talking today, had
not a wet glump of something hit her on the
back of the head. She turned to see what it was. Splat,
another glump hit her in the face. The blender was
going wild and mashed potatoes were flying everywhere. Without even
saying goodbye to Nora, Jenny hung up the phone, scrubbed

(24:00):
her face, and white mashed potatoes from nearly everything in
the kitchen. She finished just as the others came back.
Uncle Fritz patted his stomach. I'm hungry, he said. Grandfather
Tampleton laughed, I'm as hungry as an elephant. Everyone sat
down at the table. It was Tappleton tradition for grandmother
to save the Thanksgiving prayer. As soon as the turkey

(24:22):
is ready, she smiled. I'm as hungry as two elephants,
said grandfather. Mister Tampleton went to the oven. I'll carve
the turkey now. He opened the oven door.

Speaker 2 (24:33):
The turkey is gone.

Speaker 1 (24:35):
Mister Tampleton searched on the table, and under the table,
and in every kitchen cabinet. He looked into the sink,
and in the broom closet. I can't find the turkey anywhere.
Missus Tampleton took a deep breath. She told them how
their fine turkey had slipped out the door and down
the steps, and across the yard, and through the gate
and down the street, and PLoP, splash into the pond.

(24:58):
So much for the turkey, said Uncle Friends, and his
stomach rumbled a little louder. Never mind, said Aunt Hetta.
Good naturally, we'll fill up on the trimmings. I'll get
the salad, Jenny announced. Then grandmother can save the prayer.
Jenny set the bowl on the table and pulled off
the aluminum foil. Everyone stared at the salad that was

(25:18):
not there. I fed the rabbits at school, confessed Kenny.
Uncle Fritz looked downright gloomy. So much for the salad.
His stomach rumbled again. I'm as hungry as three elephants,
sighed Grandfather. Kenny jumped up. We'll have Jenny's mashed potatoes.
He brought the pot from the kitchen and lifted the lid.
I was on the phone said Jenny, and the blender

(25:41):
went wild. So much for the potatoes. Uncle Fritz's stomach
rumbled even more. I'm as hungry as four elephants, grandfather declared.
We will have to finish that story the next time.
So this concludes our hour for today. Please join us
next time as we will read more stories, fables, fairy tales,

(26:01):
and thank you for listening. Please stay tuned for the
Lexing Herald Leader on radio. I down and then tie
the string