Thanksgiving at the Curtis House
Darry (21), Soda (18) and Ponyboy (15) were full of joy over the impending holiday season. The Randles and the Matthews were coming over to join them for the big Thanksgiving meal. The eve of the large feast day, a beaming Darry had brought in the turkey, while the equally light-hearted Soda and Ponyboy had brought in the sweet potatoes, olives, celery, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. It was now early morning of Thanksgiving Day, and Darry Curtis, Steve (18) and Samuel Randle (Samuel Randle being Steve's father) were watching a football game while Carol and Kate Matthews (Two-Bit's mother and 7 year old sister) were decorating the Christmas tree with Ponyboy, singing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" as they did so. Soon, they moved over to the piano, where Ponyboy played a jazzy rendition of the same tune, while Carol and Kate Matthews danced. Two-Bit (Keith) Matthews (almost 19) came in to join them. It was great fun for them all, and fine entertainment for Darry, Steve and Samuel who quickly riveted their attention from commercial breaks to the "waltzing" and singing.
Sodapop, meanwhile, was "working" in the kitchen. Ponyboy had already stuffed the celery, the 3 brothers had already cut and prepared the yams the day before, and the cranberry sauce (the kind with the whole berries), olives and pumpkin pie would be brought out right before serving time. As Carol, Kate and Ponyboy sat down in nearby chairs, laughing (Carol gasping a bit), Darry became aware of Soda cheerfully singing to the tune of East Side West Side the following song: '"That turkey shot out of the oven-and completely destroyed a chair-that turkey was out of control-that was the last time I'd ever stuff a turkey with popcorn that had not been popped."'
"Let's see what's going on in there," said Darry suspiciously as he got up from the worn old sofa.
When he walked into kitchen, a most appalling sight met his eyes.
Soda was calmly and deliberately dumping 2 bags of Skittles into the cavity of the turkey and about to slather the insides of it with Cool Whip.
"SODA!" Darry screamed. Everyone else in the house came running.
Soda, startled at first, quickly recovered with a carefree "Hey there Darry."
Darry snatched up the Cool Whip and took it out of Soda's reach.
"Soda, last year it was M&Ms in the turkey, with Snickers on the side. The year before, you tried to put in cream soda. Plus, when you were seven, you tried to stuff the turkey with fudge. I thought I made it clear to you that you were not going to try anything bizarre with the turkey this year! I am never going to leave you alone in the kitchen with the turkey again, you got that?" Deftly, he scooped the Skittles out and deposited them all in the garbage. By this time, all the others in the room were in gales of guffaws. Ponyboy, Two-Bit and Kate were practically in hysterics.
"Aw Darry," Soda said in mock sadness. "We could have used the extra Vitamin C and Calcium."
"You ever heard of calcium in milk-and Vitamin C in cranberry sauce? Out! Out of the kitchen at once!"
Soda, walked out, pretending to be a dog with a tail between his legs.
The others laughed even more.
Darry finally gave a tired, polite smile and ordered a new turkey to be home delivered, which it later was.