(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . A THANKSGIVING STORY [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-11-21 Back about a century ago, my father’s father was a district attorney in the city of Pittsburgh. He was one of those who believed the law should apply equally to everyone. That wasn’t always popular in the 1920s. He was a career politician, but he was honest. Which may be why he wasn’t as successful as he might have been. However, at some point in his career, he helped a member of the local Chinese American community. The Chinese saw himself as indebted to my grandfather and began supplying him with some very fine gifts. I have some lovely Chinoiserie that came to me through my father’s family. I’m sure my grandfather appreciated it. But he was trying to make his name as an honest politician and a reformer. He didn’t want someone starting rumors that he was in the pay of the Tongs. So, he asked his Chinese friend not to send him any more gifts. All went well, until Thanksgiving, when a man turned up at my grandparents’ backdoor carrying a turkey. The bird had been cooked, in proper Chinese fashion, with the head and the feet still attached. The delivery man spoke English every bit as well as my grandmother spoke Chinese. After a great deal of bowing and smiling, my grandmother took the turkey and put it in the icebox. Then she went back to preparing the family feast, including an American style turkey. That night, the family assembled around the table and great grandfather carved the bird. The family held their noses. Their American turkey was rotten. So, my grandmother went out to the kitchen and heated up the Chinese turkey, with the head and feet still attached, and served that. I wasn’t there. I’m not THAT old. But dad said it was pretty good. The turkey was the last gift my grandfather would get from his Chinese friend. The 1920s, like the 2020s, were a time of turbulence. The world was changing rapidly. My grandparents had to prepare their children for things they’d never had to deal with. Xenophobia was prevalent. Watch some of the old silents sometime and see how foreigners, especially Asians are portrayed. But in that age, when the Chinese were seen as the “yellow peril”, my father’s family celebrated an American holiday with a Chinese turkey. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Here’s hoping your dinner is good, your family is happy, and better times are on the way. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/11/21/2207276/-A-THANKSGIVING-STORY?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/