Day 15 (part two) - My Thanksgiving story

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Thursday 24th Nov

Every year at the hostel, I'm told, that they get in a massive turkey and all the trimmings and everyone chips in something and everyone sits down together to celebrate Thanksgiving. However, for some reason the owner has decided not to do it this year.

There's this funny little old woman who works and the hostel and spends much of her time wandering about, muttering to herself. It was from these ramblings that I gathered how upset the staff were about the lack of holiday spirit. And so, they had banded together and put in a few bits and pieces but hadn't managed to get a turkey. I had some vegetables that I donated to the cause and even toyed with the idea of getting a turkey but decided that I couldn't afford the extra expense.

However, something strange happened whilst I was taking a cable car ride today (which was free as he was only going to Chinatown, which was fine with me as I didn't board it to get anywhere, more just to ride it). We paused at a stop just after Union Square and a man walking by threw a pink envelope in the drivers direction. These men did not know each other and so, obviously, the driver assumed it had been coated with anthrax...but interestingly took it anyway. The man uttered something about a free turkey and wandered off. The driver and I chatted about it and he offered it to me. I graciously accepted and began the hunt, in the failing light, for Hing Lung, 1261 Stockton St, San Francisco. An hour and a half and an education later, in the darkness, hustle and bustle of Chinatown I found it. They had run out of roast turkeys so he gave me three giant raw chickens instead. I boarded a dangerously overcrowded bus back to Union Square and walked the rest of the way carrying about 14lb of raw meat.

I dumped down the heavy load on the kitchen surface and said 'happy thanksgiving'. Linda, the crazy lady was overwhelmed. She was so pleased with this strangers kindness at thanksgiving. That is, until we discovered that the chickens came complete with heads, feet and insides.

The great thing about hostels is the fantastic cross section of the global society that you encounter. And so, luckily, one of the guests used to work at a slaughter house. After he had 'dealt' with the extra free stuff, I cooked the chickens, some beans and fried potatoes, which went perfectly with the mac 'n' cheese, potato salad and yams roasted with marshmallows. Well maybe not but it all tasted pretty good and so it turned out to be a pretty decent first thanksgiving for me as I hung out with Georgie and Sylvia (my hostel buddies) and met various other random and interesting people.

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