1979 - A "Magical" Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving of 1979 was one to remember.  We were with Dad that holiday and he had made arrangements to spend the weekend with his sister Lela and her family, the Blanchard's, in Salt Lake City.  I hadn't been there since the year before my parents split up.  I remembered that visit well because it was also Thanksgiving and I went with Uncle Blaine and my cousin Tory to go get the turkey from the farm. 

            We had a heck of a time catching that bird, as it just would not cooperate.  After about 20 minutes of chasing the turkey around Blaine put together a game plan.  He lifted me up on top of a small shed that was in the middle of an open area.  He told Tory to chase the bird around the left of the shed and he would go to the right.  The bird would be stuck in the middle at a certain point and at that exact moment I was to jump on the turkey's back. 

            The plan worked to perfection.  That is until I was on top of the turkey.  The bird was obviously not amused and proceeded to carry me all around the farm with Blaine and Tory chasing after us.  I had a great grip on the turkey's neck but that did nothing to slow him down.  Blaine kept hollering at me to get a hold of the legs which sounded like a marvelous idea but not very accomplish-able in my predicament.  I don't know how long I had been riding the bird before I was finally able to trip him up using my legs and then grabbing his legs before he could take off again.  Panting I stood up with the bird hanging in my hands just as Blaine showed up.  He laughed and rubbed his hand through my hair and told me I did a good job.  I told him "thanks for all the help."  He laughed again at my sarcasm. 

            He took the turkey from me and took him over to a big log that was used as a wood chopping block.  He laid the turkey's head on the block and picked up a double-edged ax that was leaning next to the barn. 

            "You're going to love this, Horace" Tory exclaimed.

            Uncle Blaine lifted the ax high over his head with one arm as he held the bird's head down with the other.  With one swift chop the turkey's head popped off onto the dirt and Blaine let go of his neck.  What should have been the end of life ended up being one of the most unbelievable events I'd ever had. 

            The turkey, minus his head, stood up and began to run around the farm running into the tractor, barn, shed, Blaine's legs and everything else.  It ran with such energy and such confusion.  It must have lasted 5 minutes and we laughed mightily at the sight.  I had heard my parents say to people that they were running around like a chicken with his head cut off and now it made sense.

            Anyhow, I was excited to go back to the Blanchard's for Thanksgiving again and I hoped that I could go fetch the bird again.  I was a few years older now and felt I could control any turkey. 

            Much to my disappointment we had a store bought turkey and I didn't even get to go out to the farm.  Blaine had a surprise for us though that made me forget all about the turkeys.  He had tickets for the Utah Jazz game that weekend.  They were going to play the Los Angeles Lakers at the Salt Palace and he wanted to go with Dad, Tory and I.  I was so excited to go to a professional basketball game even though I really didn't know much about either team.

            Dad said the Jazz had a couple of the best players in the league in Adrian Dantley and Pete Maravich.  He also said that the Lakers had one of the greatest players of all time in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and one of the best young players in Earvin Johnson.  He was excited to see them play too.  I don't think he had ever seen a professional basketball game before.  It was cool to know that we would both see our first together.

            The Salt Palace was awesome.  I had never seen so many people in one venue before.  Our seats were up pretty high but we could see the floor just fine.  Even from the distance I was sitting, I was awed at how tall the players on each team were.  Especially the Laker's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  He was 7' 2" and towered over other players that were listed at 6' 6" to 6' 10" tall.

            The game was great and was full of great dunks amazing shots.  My favorite player dunked and had some of those amazing shots, but it was his passing that left me in awe.  Dad said his nickname was "Magic".  Earvin "Magic' Johnson.  He was the most exciting athlete I had ever witnessed.  He controlled the game from start to finish.  Although Adrian Dantley had a great game, "Magic" Johnson made the game look like the Lakers were playing against a High School team. He threw passes that made the crowd "ooh" and "ahh". He was amazing. The score was a blowout but the fans seemed happy to have seen one of the greatest displays of basketball ever.

            I left that game with a new favorite sport with a new favorite team and a new favorite player.  I had gone to a Utah Jazz game and returned a Lakers fan.  And I wanted to learn to play like "Magic".

           My Dad would tell you that the scoop is to never take your son to a basketball game of your favorite team if they are playing the Lakers. At least if you don't want them to be a Lakers fan! 

#Lakers  #Thanksgiving #Ridingtheturkey