You Make Me Sick

You make me sick. Homesick that is… I know you lucky bums are getting excited about Thanksgiving right about now. You’re probably all ready to fatten yourself up for the coming winter. I can nearly hear you going turkey crazy, bragging about how much you eat every year, and how you fall asleep immediately after feasting HAHAHA. Some modern jackass will say it’s due to the trypto-whatever that makes you sleepy. How impressive. Another will say trypto-whatever’s in chicken too, so we eat it all the time, duh. Well you know what? The thought of you is making me homesick! And my writing this is making me hungry!

It was a sacrifice I made by going on this trip - something I knew before coming. But then I actually forgot about it. Until I noticed the date was 11-twentysomething and a bell rung in my head. Going through life here, there are no cues, none of the usual signs that let me know the holiday season is fast approaching. No themed commercials on TV, no decorations in the grocery stores. Not that we have TV or grocery stores. The colors of autumn never came, and the smell of the air here is just different. 

Actually, if you were here, perhaps you’d have a different experience. You might know right away that the time of thanks has come. For all I know, the climate and vibe may very well compare to places in the US that I’ve never been during the end of November. It’s just that I only have Dallas to compare to.  Never in my quarter century on Earth have I missed coming home sweet home this time of year. Of the places I have been, it was never the end of November, so I cannot say for certain what those places are like right at this moment. 

Maybe I’ve built this pretty picture of Thanksgiving in my head. It’s my favorite of all holidays, but why? Not every year is a perfect home run. It’s not like the Cowboys win the game every year, or even half the time. It’s as if I’ve taken good parts from each year, having many to draw on, and compiled them into a wonderful memory of a holiday that outshines all others by far. All it took for Thanksgiving to become the Ultimate holiday was consistency. Well being this far away, it feels like that Ultimate Thanksgiving is going on right about now, and that’s the one I’m missing.

Thanksgiving aside, the truth is you never feel more homesick than when you come down sick with some virus or bug. You just lie there in self pity, desiring some TLC from some good woman (mom or Ruth). When on the road, it’s staying either busy or interested that keeps the homesickness away. But when you’re ill, your body and mind become useless - you simply cannot be busy or have energy for interests. So your mind wanders, and the blues come.

As much as I love you, my family and friends, please don’t be offended to hear that I don’t often wish I were back stateside. But right about now, having just passed through a time of illness, and knowing that Thanksgiving approaches and I’m on the wrong side of the globe, I surely do wish to be home. Still I am very thankful to be on this trip, I know it’s not an everyday opportunity. I am thankful to call America my home and I give thanks to you, for reading my blog, supporting me, and being good friends in general. I hope you all stay safe – don’t drink and drive, don’t rupture your stomach, don’t get stampeded on Black Friday, and don’t play too hard at Turkeybowl. Have a wonderful Ultimate Thanksgiving this year.