A Thanksgiving Story; Thankful 4

 Packing up his dorm on the day before Thanksgiving, Clein looked at his clock and said “shit” as he started packing faster. He was already late. He wanted to make it home for Thanksgiving, not because he particularly liked his home town, but because it had been so long, he figured he should go see his family this winter break. Suddenly the door swung open and his roommate said “oh hey Clein, you haven’t left yet?” Clein shook his head “saying oh hey James, no, just about to though, what about you? Thought you’d be long gone by now”. James replied “ya, I know I’m gonna be late but I just forgot my phone” as he looked around and noticed his phone on his night stand “oh there it is” he continued as he went over to his nightstand, grabbed his phone and spoke again “alright, now I really gotta go, I am eager to have some home cookin, god I am so thankful for mom's home cookin. You should hurry up yourself, you have further to go then I do, and I’m sure you’re eager to have some home cookin of your own”. Clein nodded and said “yup” as he put a few final things in his bag and headed out with his roommate. In the parking lot they waved goodbye one last time as they both went their separate ways. Clein put his bag in the back of his Subaru, and got in started the car, and sat for a moment. Thinking about how he didn’t really want to go home. He thought about how happy James was to be going to see his family, how thankful he was for them. He wondered what he had to be thankful for, and nothing came to mind. Oh well, he thought, it is standard to go home, spend time with family on Thanksgiving. “Fake it till you make it” he said to himself as he took a deep breath, put the car in drive, and began his long journey home.

    Driving down the freeway, as the sun slowly began setting. He noticed a car on the side of the road, hood open, and engine steaming. A man was waving his coat at it. Clein looked at his clock and thought ya I have a little bit of time. He then pulled over, put on his hazard lights and stepped out of the car and approached the man. He said “Hey, I’m Clein, do you need any help?” The man said “oh no, I just don’t know what happened, not much of a car guy, and it being the holidays and all, I can't get a mechanic til after thanksgiving. Which sucks, cause I am supposed to be at home with my wife and our new Daughter, I haven’t seen them in, I don’t even know how long, I work too much, anyway making good progress when boom, breakdown”. Clein just stood there nodded and said “oh, well I’m sorry to hear that, I wish I could help you out, but I’m not much of a car guy myself. Is there anything else you need?” “oh no, thank you I don’t mean to put all this on you, just stressed, anyway I don’t think there is anything you can do, unless you happen to be heading to Hobart”. Clein thought about how that was about fifty miles out of his way and reluctantly shook his head as he looked down. The man said “oh, ya, no worries, it was a long shot I’ll figure something out. Anyway, thanks for stopping and Happy thanksgiving”. Clein nodded as he headed back to his car. As he walked, he looked back at the man and saw his face, looking so sad as if about to cry. He overheard him on the phone saying “I know I’m sorry honey, I don’t know what happened, but I don’t think I’m gonna be able to make it home for thanksgiving, please tell Sally I love her”. After another moment he repeated “I know honey, I’m sorry, I really am trying but unless I can get a ride I won’t”- hearing his breaking heart in his voice broke Clein’s as he hollered at the man “HEY, I can give you a ride to Hobart”. The man looked at him and said “hold on honey” as he put his hand over his phone and said “are you sure? I wouldn’t want to put you out”. Clein smiled and said “ya, of course don’t worry about it, it’s on the way”. The man said, “oh thank you, thank you so much” as he took his hand from his phone speaker and said with a newfound excitement “honey I'm gonna make it home for thanksgiving after all, I will see you soon”.

As the man got into the passenger seat of Clein’s Subaru, he smiled at Clein and said, “thanks man, I really appreciate it”. Clein smiled back at him as he put his car in drive, flashed the turn signal, and rejoined traffic. As he started driving the man said, “oh shit, where are my manners, I’m Jack”. Clein smiled and said “Clein”. the man laughed and said, “ya I know, you introduced yourself back there, I’m the dick here”. Clein laughed as he said, “no worries, man”. As the drive continued Jack spoke again and said, “hey man seriously I can’t possibly express how grateful I am for this". Clein said “oh, ya, don’t worry about it man”. Jack replied “no, seriously, thank you so much. You know like I said I work a lot, trying to support my family, but what good is that if I never see them? You know I wasn’t even there when my daughter Sally was born. I was working, so I really needed this, you are a lifesaver, and again I can’t possibly express how grateful I am”. Clein nodded and said “ya, well it’s the season for that. I’m on my way from college to see my parents and siblings, haven't been back in a long time, caught up in the work I guess, you know?” Jack nodded saying “oh believe me I know. You must be super excited about seeing your family then”. Clein peered down saying “ya, I mean, I don’t know, we never really got along. Like I know it’s the season for gratitude and all, I just never felt like I had anything to be thankful for. I guess that’s really why I wanna make it home, maybe I will finally find something to be thankful for this year, you know?” Jack nodded again saying “ya, I’m sorry to hear that man. I hope you get home and find that gratitude with your family” Clein nodded, smiled and said “thanks man” as he continued driving down the freeway.

As they pulled off the Hobart exit, Jack said “ok, just pull over, I can walk from here”. “Are you sure?” Clein asked. Jack nodded and said “ya, you’ve done plenty for me, and I want you to be able to get home and see your family and besides I only live like a block away”. Clein nodded and pulled over. As Jack got out of the car, grabbed his bag he said again "hey thanks again man, I really do appreciate it. Like I said I can’t express how grateful I am so if you ever need anything, look me up”. Clein smiled, shook Jack’s hand and said “thanks, I’m happy I could help, enjoy your thanksgiving with your family” Jack replied “you too” as he headed off. As Jack walked, he noticed Clein pull back on the freeway in the opposite direction, going back the way they had just come and looked puzzled.

    It was starting to get dark as it began to rain, and Clein saw his gas light come on. He said “shit, I forgot to fill up”. He looked around at the signs on the freeway and saw one read Gas Next Right. He took that next right and pulled into the gas station right off the exit. As he was filling up his car, he overheard an older woman arguing with a guy “no, no, you know what? I’m done, I can’t just throw my life away, if you want to, be my guest, but I can’t” the woman yelled. “Oh c’mon be serious, how much of a life do you really have left anyway?” the man yelled back. The woman, now more offended, just turned and walked away as the man hollered to her “oh, c’mon don’t be like that, it’s late where you even gonna go?” She turned around and yelled “I have friends”. “Oh what? Those junkies you met in rehab?” The man replied. “Oh, you’re one to talk, and at least they’re trying to better themselves”. “Oh, whatever Jill, go live in that halfway house with your stuck-up rehab pals. See how long that lasts” the man yells in return. “Oh, fuck you Skylar”. This seems to bother Skylar as he gets out of his beater car and yells “the fuck you say bitch?” As he approaches Jill. Tired of watching a drugged-out couple arguing and unwilling to watch an old woman get beat up by a guy. Clein runs in front of the woman and waves his hands in front of Skylar and says “whoa, whoa, whoa man calm down”. The man stops and says “who the fuck are you? Why don’t you mind your business? What? You think she’ll fuck you? You really want this old whore?” Clein just says “c’mon man, just dial it back, you’re high, don’t do something you’ll regret”. Skylar walks back and turns around for a moment as he says with a laugh “ya, you're right, but I won’t regret this” as he turns back and takes a swing at Clein, who expertly ducks under his punch, uppercuts him in the gut, and sweeps his leg. This causes Skylar to fall down, as Clein stands over him in a fighting stance. After a moment the man says “whatever, you can have her” as he gets up and goes back to his car and drives off. Clein turns to Jill and asks, “are you ok?” Jill says “ya, I, thank you”. “No problem” as he just walks back to his car. Jill turns to him about to say something but doesn’t, she just bows her head in shame and stumbles to an ally. Clein sees this in his car and thinks I can’t, I need to get home, I need to find something to be grateful for. Then he thinks, but she might just go back to that piece a shit, telling her she has no friends, I can’t let him be right. After a moment of internally debating these contradicting thoughts, he says to himself “fuck”. As he drives up to Jill and says, “hey miss, do you need a ride?” “Are you- ya I could use a ride to the Hobart halfway house, but I wouldn’t wanna put you out, especially not on thanksgiving”. Clein thinks to himself, oh god damnit, but says with a smile “no worries it’s on the way, hop in”. Jill looks surprised and says “really?” Clein just smiles, nods, and reaches over to open the passenger door. Jill slowly begins to smile as she says “oh thank you thank you so much, I’m so grateful I met you” as she climbs in the car. Clein says “ya, well it’s the season for that” as he drives off in the direction he just came from.

On the drive Jill asks, “so where’d you learn to fight like that?” “I took some Muay Thai courses in college, even competed for a bit,” Clein answered. Jill responds “ya, well that was pretty impressive, and thanks again”. Clein says “don’t mention it” as he pulls off the Hobart exit once again. He asks, "Which way from here?” Jill says “oh no, just drop me off here”. Clein says “are you sure? It’s really no”- Jill interrupts “oh no, you're so sweet but you’ve done enough, the halfway house is only a block up the road, and besides I’m sure your family is eager to see you. ""ok” Clein says as he pulls over. Before Jill gets out she reaches over and hugs him saying “seriously I am so lucky I met you, I wish I could do something to repay your kindness, but I don’t have very much, but if you think of anything, don’t hesitate to come by the halfway house and ask”. Clein smiles and says “just have a good thanksgiving and we’ll call it even” Jill smiles and says “will do” as she climbs out of the car and continues “I’m so grateful I met you, thank you, thank you so much” as she blows him a kiss, waves goodbye and closes the door. Clein mumbles to himself “ya, well at least one of us has something to give thanks for this thanksgiving”. As he puts his car in drive and once again begins driving back the way he came. Jill is waiting to cross the street when she sees this and begins to look puzzled.

    As it gets later it gets darker and the rain gets heavier. The windshield wipers flying up and down in what seems to be less than a second. Now multiple hours and two hundred miles behind schedule, not even to mention two refuelings in as many hours. Clein peels out of the gas station, splashing up a puddle as he heads back to the freeway. He barely notices a homeless man on the side of the road. Holding a ripped drenched and ruined cardboard sign. He pulls over, rolls down his window and asks, “hey do you need any help?” The man says, “well I’d sure like to get out of this rain”. Clein opens the door and says, “get in”. The man says “oh thank you” as he climbs in the car. Clein replies “no problem” as he assumes this will be a quick one. This assumption is shown wrong however, as Clein just barely makes out the words that were once prominent on the man's sign TRYING TO GET HOME FOR THANKSGIVING. Clein then asks reluctantly “where you headed?” The man says “oh, well there is a shelter up the street, I’ll go see if they have any beds left, and if not, there is a park with a good tree canopy over some benches I can sleep on”. Without thinking Clein asks “is that where home is?” The man looks confused and says “huh?” Before noticing Clein looking at his sign and says “oh, no, but I don’t expect to make it home now anyway”. Again, without thinking Clein asks, well where is it? I can probably get you there” The man, surprised, asks “wait seriously?” Clein nods, smiles and says “ya, man where do you live?” After he asks this he finally begins to think fuck what am I doing? No it’s fine, as long as he doesn’t say Hobart. That thought repeats, don’t say Hobart, don’t say Hobart, don’t say Hobart. Before the man replies “Hobart”. Clein screams in his mind FUUUUCK. As he smiles and says “oh perfect, that’s on the way” and drives back to Hobart once again.

After a little while of driving in silence Clein asks, "So what's your name man?” “Huh, oh Charlie and you? Charlie answered. Clein replied “Clein” “really good to meet you Clein” Charlie said with a smile. Clein nodded and they sat silent for another moment until Clein broke it with another question “so you excited to see your family?” The man looks up and answers “huh? Oh ya, thanks a bunch, I seriously didn’t think I would make it, I’m so thankful for your help” Clein smiled, nodded and said once again “oh ya, well it’s the season for that”. Charlie nodded and smiled in return. After another long awkward moment of silence Clein went to turn the radio on before the man opened up “ya, I was in the military for a few years, and when I got back, I just, I couldn’t face my family. So I kinda just ran away, got into drugs and shit, ended up in jail a few times. I was in a really dark place. But, well long story short I got some help and I’ve been feeling a lot better and I wanted, no needed to see my family again. I haven’t seen them in years. All day I was sittin out there with that sign, no one stopped. I had just given up hope when you pulled over, like a stroke a luck. I haven’t been that lucky in a long time. So, believe me when I say how so very grateful I am, thank you so very much. I wish I could do something to repay the favor, so if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask”. Clein smiles as a small tear drip from his eye “look man, how about you just have a wonderful time with your family, and we’ll call it even” Charlie nods and says “deal” with a smile. Clein says silently to himself “deal, one of us should anyway”. After what felt like forever Clein finally pulled off the Hobart Exit for the third and what he hoped would be the final time. Charlie said, “just drop me off here, I’m only a block up the road”. Clein responded “no way man, it’s raining I don’t want you be all drenched when you see your family for the first time in years”. Charlie responds, “as long as I get to see them that’s all that matters and besides, I don’t want to take up any more of your time” Clein replies are you sure? It’s really no problem”. Charlie responds “I insist, I appreciate it man, but I insist” with a smile. Clein pulls to the side as Charlie hops out and says “thanks again man, I’m glad I met you, you know this world would be a much better place if more people were just a little bit more like you”. Clein responds “thanks, but it’s no big thing, right on the way” Charlie nodded gave Clein a two-finger salute and shut the door as he walked off. Looking back, he got puzzled as he noticed Clein going back the way they had just come.

    The sun was beginning to rise on Thanksgiving Thursday. Clein had not slept in nearly twenty-four hours. He began to feel his eyes get heavy. Being closer to his final destination than he had been. He was beginning to think he would make it home for Thanksgiving after all. With all this in mind he decided to pull off and get an energy drink. He pulled into a small convenience store, went inside bought a can of Cocaine Energy Drink, the strongest one on the market, paid the cashier five bucks, and walked back out to his car. Outside he noticed a short ambiguous person with blue hair, bangs on the left over the left eye. They were talking on the phone, borderline in tears “please dad, don’t do this, can’t we just have a good thanksgiving?” after a moment they began to actually cry saying “no, don’t say that dad, I love you, I just can’t live a lie, please understand that” their crying continued to get stronger, so strong they could barely mumble “but, where I am supposed to go, please dad? Dad?” They slowly took their phone down from their ear, pushed a button on the side and put it in their pocket. They then sank to the ground, knees up, face buried in them, audibly crying, soaking their jeans with tears. Clein couldn’t ignore this so he approached and tapped them on the shoulder. They looked up, slightly frightened, tears still covering their face. Clein waved his hands in front of himself and said “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to frighten you, I just, are you- do you need anything?” The person replied while sniffling, and wiping their eyes “no, no I’m fine, thanks”. Clein said “ok” as he began to turn and walk away, as the person put their face in their knees again and cried even louder. At that point Clein turned around and sat right by the person, opened his can of Cocaine Energy drink, took a sip, as the person lifted their head and looked over at Clein, as he smiled and held the can towards them, as if to offer them a sip. After a moment of sniffling, they slowly began to smile and took the can. After taking a sip, they went “whoa, that’s spicy damn” as they laughed a little bit, Clein laughed himself and said “ya but it has three and a half red bulls worth of caffeine and that spicy kick, that’s why it’s my favorite energy drink. I’m Clein by the way” as he reached out his hand. The person put the can down between them, grabbed Clein’s hand, shook it and said “Alex". Good to meet you Alex, now are you sure you’re alright?” Alex looked in front of themself and began explaining “you know Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday, it was always just me, my mom, and my dad, and Thanksgiving was always the day we’d all be together. It made me so happy and it made them happy too, at least when I was a kid. When I started growing up, I started to struggle with myself and my identity. And, you know my parents always told me they’d love me no matter what, and I believed them. But then, then” Alex began tearing up again, as Clein put his hand on their shoulder. This made Alex feel comfortable and strong as they looked at Clein, sniffled, smiled and continued “so any way when I came out as non binary to my parents I thought they’d support me, I thought they’d be happy that I finally know who I am, but, they, they kicked me out. My dad said that I am ruining the family and that he, he hates me” At this Alex sunk their face into Clein’s arms as they drenched his shirt with their tears. Clein wrapped his arms around them and said “shh shh, it’s ok, shh shh, it’s ok”.

After a while of Alex crying into Clein’s arms, and Clein trying to comfort them, they lifted their head up, noticed Clein’s tear stained shirt and said “oh, I’m so sorry” Celin said “you have nothing to be sorry for” with a smile. Alex wiped their eyes, sniffled and slowly smiled. After a short moment Clein asked “do you have any where to go?” Alex shook their head and said “no, well except my Grandma, but she lives so far, and I don’t have money for a bus” Clein thought for a moment about inviting them to their house, but then thought their will already be a bunch of people there for Thanksgiving, and about how weird about strangers his mom was. Then he spoke “your Grandma lives in Hobart doesn’t she?” Alex looked at him with confusion and said “ya, how’d you know?” “Everyone lives in Hobart, and that’s right on the way to where I’m going, so you want a ride?” Alex was shocked for a moment before they said “are you serious? Yes, thank you, thank you so much, as they hugged Clein, he smiled and said, “it is the season for that”.

After topping off his gas tank, Clein and Alex were off. On the way Alex said, "how lucky am I that I ran into someone who just happens to be going to Hobart on thanksgiving?” Clein just smiled as he flipped his turn signal on to change lanes. Finally nearing the Hobart Exit once again as the sun shined prominently in the sky. Celin finally pulled off the Hobart Exit. And Alex said, “my grandma just lives a block ahead, so you can just drop me off here” Clein insisted “it really is no problem”. “No, no, thank you, but you have done plenty, it is thanksgiving, you have your own family to get to and thanks to you I have mine too, I am so grateful for all you have done, seriously you’re the best, and if there is ever anything I can do for you, just ask. Clein pulled off to the side of the road, put his car in park and said “I just want you to have a wonderful thanksgiving like you used to” with a smile. Alex, nodded and smiled as a tear of joy fell from their eye, and they wrapped their arms around Clein saying “thanks to you I think I just might, again, you’re the best thank you so so much, I mean that, I really do”. Clein hugged them back saying “I know, now go get to your grandma's and have a wonderful thanksgiving”. As Alex got out of the car and closed the door, Clein said to himself “one of us should anyway” he then turned around. As Alex turned around with a smile to wave goodbye one last time, they began to look puzzled seeing Clein go back the way they had just come.

Buzzing the whole day down the freeway, driving likely twenty or thirty miles over the limit, thinking he might still make it, just barely. Keeping hope until the clock struck midnight, it was now Friday and he was still six hours out. He got disappointed, but continued speeding down the near empty freeway. He finally pulled off his hometown exit at six, Friday morning. Parking outside his childhood home at about six fifteen. He put his car in park, turned off his headlights, pulled up the emergency brake, and turned off the engine. Getting out of his car he walked across the sundried, water stained asphalt, opened the white picket gate, and headed up to the front door of his home, he knocked thinking home at last. His mother opened the door and immediately said with extreme disappointment “where have you been? You promised you’d be here this year. All our relatives were so excited to see you, but they’re gone now”. “I know mom, I’m sorry” Clein replied as he hugged his mother and she just stood there. He then continued “I just, I slept late, then drove all day, and now I’m exhausted again, so I’m gonna go take a nap if that is ok”. His mom said “you slept late, just got here after missing Thanksgiving, and now you’re gonna go sleep again?” “ya” Clein said as he walked up the stairs to his old room. His mother yelled “HEY”- before a ringing phone interrupted her. She continued "hold on", as she went into the kitchen and answered the phone saying “hello, Stinger residence, this is Joy” After the other line spoke, she continued “ya, he just got here hold on” as she put the phone down and went back towards the stairs to say “Clein, there is someone on the phone for you, Clein” she hollered again walking to his old room, opening the door and seeing him passed out on his childhood bed, legs hanging off the end. She shook her head, looking disappointed, as she closed the door and went back to the kitchen, picked up the phone, and said “I’m sorry he’s asleep, can I take a message?” As the party on the other line spoke, Joy’s whole demeanor changed, “he did what?” she mumbled as they continued talking.

    Waking up about twelve hours later Clein stretched his arms, yawned, and walked out of his room down stairs wiping his eyes as he said “hey sorry mom, we can talk now I just had to”- as he took his hands away from his eyes he stopped on the stairs seeing the smiling faces of Jack, standing next to a woman, holding a small girl. Jill, waving at him, a mug of hot cider in her hand. Charlie, standing next to a few others he didn’t recognize, as well as Alex, next to an older woman. They were all smiling and waving as Clein just stood half way up the staircase in shock, as his mother ran out saying “Clein, Clein why didn’t you tell me, you were late cause you helped all these people get home?” Clein, still in shock, stood there before speaking “I, I”- Jack interrupted "probably the same reason, he told all of us it was on the way”. "Because he’s a fucking saint, excuse my French” Jill said before everyone laughed. Clein finally spoke “no, I just did what anyone would do” this made the group laugh louder as they all shook their heads. Charlie said “no way man, don’t be humble you went way above and way beyond, remember what I told you? This world would be a much better place if everyone was just a little bit more like you, God damn man I had no idea how true that was, you’re the best of us.” as they all nodded and said “here, here” as they raised their glasses. Clein began to tear up as he said I don't know what to say”. “How about let’s eat, you gotta try my grandma's pumpkin pie” Alex said before they all laughed. Clein said “what? You brought food?” “Of course, man” Charlie said. “You missed your thanksgiving, so we could have ours” Jack said. “And when we met at a small party, we realized it” Jill said. “We all saw you driving off the other way, the way you had just come, confusing cause you said it was on the way, then Jack here used his work contacts and eidetic memory and looks up your license plate, called your mom, and we all rushed over with our families and some good food, You missed your Thanksgiving so we could have ours, so we knew we had to make sure you get one” Alex said with a smile as they all nodded still smiling. Joy hugged her son, saying "I am so sorry I was so hard on you, I can’t believe you helped all these people, I am so proud of you.” Clein hugged his mother back as he said with tears of joy, thank you, thank you all so much, you have finally given me something to be thankful for.” Jack announced “well”- as they all joined in “IT’S THE SEASON FOR THAT”!

THE END