Letter from the Thanksgiving Turkey

Today was a short day at school (and at work) on account of the Thanksgiving holidays. At our 4th grader's elementary school, apparently the morning writing exercise was to do a "Persuasive Friendly Letter" using the voice/persona of a Thanksgiving turkey.

There was a whole row of hilarious and creative results on the wall outside the classroom when we picked up the kids shortly after lunch.

Here is the transcript of daughter G's work:

Persuasive Friendly Letter

Dear Stinking Farmer,

How dare you even think about eating me! Why?! I'll do anything, wash the dishes, do the laundry, fold the clothes, set the table, make dinner, chase the lame fox out of the chicken coop, feed the cat, anything! I also smell so horrible that even if you put me in a bathtub it [smell] won't come out! That's not all, plus, I have-- RABIES! You wouldn't want a turkey with a sickness, would you?

If you want, I'll make you a list of other things to eat. Hey, don't you have a friend who's a herpetologist? I here [sic] in Asia, there are tons of snakes he could study! You could go with him and spend some days off and I'll take over while you're gone! What about you have cornish hens instead, those will probably knock the corn out of ya!. At least have chicken or even cows, or have a pizza, cheeseburgers, Chinese food, bread and water, anything besides turkey! Thank you, and write back soon (sometime BEFORE Thanksgiving)!

Sincerely,
The Main Course
or NOT!


* * *

With all of you, whether you celebrate this American holiday or not, I share a little prayer of gratefulness and giving thanks that my artist friend Brenda Fajardo taught me some years ago:

"Lupang nagbigay ng aming kakanin/ Araw na nagpahinog upang ito'y pasarapin/ Mahal naming araw/ Mahal naming lupa/ Hindi namin kalilimutan/ Ang mabuti ninyong gawa."

[Translation: "Earth that has given us food/ Sun that has ripened it to sweetness/ Dear sun/ Dear earth/ We shall never forget/ The good that you do." ]