Frost Moon
Park service staff rarely got major holidays off, but no one was going to complain about Cabbie somehow managing to get Thanksgiving off every year. Between the C-119's duties as a jump plane in the summer and as an avalanche abatement aircraft in the winter, the only time that he could manage to take a week or two off was in the Fall. So while all of his fellow rangers buckled down for the first hard holiday of the winter season, a pair of tails could be seen winging themselves out of the park. It was kind of a demoralizing sight because it was a reminder that they were going to spend yet another Thanksgiving making it perfect for other people's families while they were on vacation while knowing that a quick phone call home was as good as they were going to manage for family who lived states away.
But as rough as watching Cabbie depart, there were few things more joyful than the old plane's return. For when he returned to the park he would land at the lodge instead of Air Attack Base carrying a very precious cargo. Vehicles from around the park would gather as Cabbie pulled up to Puluski's firehouse, ready to unload him as soon as he popped the hatch. Once Cabbie opened his beaver tail, the smells of baked pasty washed over everyone. Soon every folding table that had been set up inside the firehouse was covered with pies. There were pumpkin pie and apple pies, pies covered with whipped cream and pies drizzled with chocolate, pies that were warm out of the oven and ice cream pies fresh out of the freezer. It was a feast that represented the bounty of the season.
The first slices of pie were cut for the members of staff who were unable to leave their posts. Followed by pie for those who needed to get back to duty quickly. Then it was everyone else's turn. Interpretive rangers snagged their slices alongside the road crew, lodge staff ate alongside security staff. Even the family members of parked staff who lived on-site joined in to eat and play under the firehouse floodlights. Only when the night grew darker, the air grew colder, and pie was all but gone did the Piston Peaks staff holiday party finally grind to a halt.
Yes, no one ever complained that Cabbie was off every Thanksgiving even though it was a painful reminder of holidays they would not be spending with their own family, but they always celebrated his return because they knew it heralded pie and joyous celebration with the national park family they had chosen to create.