Chapter 1: Thanksgiving In Plymouth
It was a beautiful autumn day in late November, and the world's famous detective, Charlie Chan, was vacationing in the state of Massachusetts. With him were his ten children, the Chan Clan, whom were asked to ride on a float in an upcoming Thanksgiving parade while dressed as pilgrims and Indians. Also, the six eldest children, Henry, Stanley, Suzie, Alan, Anne, and Tom, were asked to form the Chan Clan Band and perform while riding.
At exactly 9:00 a.m., the Chan family, driving their Chan Van, had arrived at a public park where the parade was going to begin later in the evening. After arriving, the Chan Clan got into their costumes. Henry, Stanley, and Suzie along with their youngest siblings, Mimi and Scooter, were dressed as pilgrims while Alan, Anne, and Tom along with their younger siblings, Flip and Nancy, were dressed as Indians.
"How do we look, Pop?" asked the eldest Chan child.
"You all look magnificent, Henry," the kind-hearted father answered.
"It's not fair," the youngest Chan child complained. "I wanted to be an Indian like Nancy and the chief!"
"Sorry, Scooter," his elder sister Nancy apologized, "but they didn't have any Indian costumes your size."
"She's right, Scooter," said their eldest sister Suzie.
"Aw, man," Scooter pouted. "I really gotta start taking more vitamins."
"Oh, stop whining, Scooter," his elder sister Mimi lectured. "You watch too much cowboy and Indian movies anyway. If you dressed like an Indian, you might start misbehaving more than you already do. A pilgrim is much more appropriate."
"Boy," Scooter growled, "one of these days…"
Annoyed with his youngest siblings' usual squabbling, Flip interrupted, "Knock it off, you two."
"Besides," their second eldest brother Stanley snickered, "it could be worse. Look at Chu-Chu's costume."
The Chan Clan all looked over at their dog, Chu-Chu, who was forced to wear a turkey costume for the Thanksgiving parade, much to his dismay.
"I think he looks cute," Mimi smiled. "Don't you, Chu-Chu?"
Just then, a Bulldog and a Boxer walked by. Upon noticing Chu-Chu in his turkey costume, both dogs fell out laughing, causing Chu-Chu to cover his face in shame.
"Sorry, Chu-Chu," Henry consoled, "but we needed someone to be the turkey and since Scooter wouldn't do it, that left you."
Chu-Chu growled at Scooter.
"Sorry, Chu-Chu," Scooter giggled, "but it was either me or you and, well…"
"Oh, cheer up, Chu-Chu," Nancy bubbled. "It's Thanksgiving, the best holiday of the year!"
"No way," Scooter disagreed. "Christmas is the best holiday."
"Well, Christmas is a nice holiday," Nancy gushed, "but Thanksgiving is the greatest! On Thanksgiving, there is a ton of food from turkey, to cranberries, to sweet potato pie, and so much other stuff to choose from. Oh, I can't wait! Thanksgiving is…"
"Dull as dirt," said the tomboyish Anne.
"Not looking forward to Thanksgiving this year, Anne?" asked Suzie.
"Don't get me wrong," Anne replied. "Thanksgiving's nice and all, but there's pretty much nothing to do but sit around and watch others yap all night and stuff their faces."
"Hey, but this year it's different," Stanley jokingly stated. "First, we get to ride on a float in a parade. Then we'll just sit around and watch others yap all night and stuff their faces. And we're doing it in good ol' Plymouth, Massachusetts, where they first had Thanksgiving."
"Actually," his intelligent younger brother Tom corrected, "Thanksgiving was first done in Jamestown, Virginia. The first Thanksgiving feast was in Plymouth, Massachusetts."
"Thank you, Professor," Stanley sarcastically grumbled as he crossed his arms.
"Still," Anne sighed, "it would be nice if something exciting would happen on Thanksgiving, at least once."
A truck horn was suddenly heard.
"I don't know if it counts as exciting, but check it out," the laid-back Alan pointed. "Here comes the mayor with the parade floats."
The Chan family watched as a limousine carrying the state's mayor arrived at the park along with a patrol car, several trucks, and many parade floats following.
"Come on, Henry," Stanley urged. "Let's go check out the float we'll be riding!"
"Hold it, Stanley," Henry suggested. "Let's go to the restrooms and switch out of our costumes first."
"Agreed," said Tom.
"With pleasure!" Scooter nodded as he dashed towards the restroom.
"Ruh-huh!" Chu-Chu barked as he followed his youngest owner.