Didn't think this story would be posted in chapters but here it is! Hope you've liked it so far!

BTW I own nothing!

"What are you doing here, Edith?" Louise asked

"I'm on my way back to New York." Edith informed her.

"You're going in the wrong direction, Bunker's over there." George scoffed to himself

Edith frowned as she tried to figure out what it was that he was talking about, while Louise frowned at her husband looking upset.

"Never mind him." She said turning Edith's attention back to her, "Where're you coming from?"

"Oh I was in California, with Gloria and Joey…"

"How are Mike and Gloria?" Louise asked happily wanting to know how her old friends were.

"Oh well," Edith began in a soft tone, "Mike left Gloria a few months ago…"

"Oh no!"

"Yeah, so I'm staying over there to help her take care of Joey…oh Joey!" she said realizing she hadn't introduced her grandson to the Jeffersons.

She quickly turned around and extended her hand to Joey, who grabbed it, and slightly pulled him over. "George, Louse this is Archie and my grandson Joey. Joey this is Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson."

"Hello." Louise said cheerfully

"Hi!" Joey said in a similar tone

"Hi." George said in a tone most different from the two.

"Oh Edith, he's adorable!" Louise gushed "You know I just became a grandmother myself."

"Really?!"

"Yes, to a little baby girl." She said as she dug through her purse in search of a picture. At last she found it, "Here she is baby Jessica Jefferson."

"Oh my, she's beautiful!" Edith complimented and before George knew it the two women were once again talking at a speed that only they could understand. Finally he couldn't take it any more.

"Would you look at the time!" he practically shouted while looking at his watch, "We've gotta ago Weezy, our plane's leaving in ten minutes! Well it was nice seeing you…" George went on as he grabbed his wife's arm and tried to pull her away.

"George!" Weezy cried, "You just talked to the flight attendant, our flight to Washington has been cancelled!" she said pulling her arm away from him.

"What are you going to Washington for?" Edith asked.

"George has a business meeting there…" Louise began to explain.

"On Thanksgiving?" Edith asked shocked

"Exactly my point!" Louise said and then waved her hand, "but it doesn't matter anymore, our planes been cancelled, so we're stuck trying to find out how we're gonna spend Thanksgiving 1981."

Then Edith got an idea, "Oh I know! You can spend it with us!"

"Really?!" Louise asked enthusiastically while her husband asked the similar question in a rundown tone of voice.

"Sure!" Edith said her smile never fading.

"Are you sure it won't be any trouble?" asked Louise

Edith thought for a few seconds, "Well you might have to wait because our plane got delayed but besides that it won't be no trouble at all! All I gotta do is call Archie and let him know we've gotta add two extra plates at dinner."

"There's your trouble." George mumbled to himself but just loud enough for Edith to hear.

"Oh no," Edith started, "I'm sure Archie won't mind he's already invited other people!"

"Oh Edith!" Louise exclaimed, "You're a life saver."

"Weezy." George called

"Oh!" Edith said in an embarrassed tone as she dropped her hand.

"Weezy!" once again called George only now a bit louder and a bit more annoyed.

"Say do you need help cooking dinner? Because I have a recipe for…."

Then once again the two women got lost in their conversation as George continued to try and get his wife's attention failing until…

"WEEZY!" George exclaimed so loud the people he was suppose to meet in Washington could hear him; both Louise and Edith turned around to look at him. Instead of saying anything George simply gave his wife a look that said, 'Get over here, we need to talk!'

Louise turned around looking at Edith, "Excuse me a minute will you Edith?" she asked in a soft most polite tone.

After seeing Edith nod, Louise went over to her husband "What?!" she asked in a tone of the exact opposite.

George however didn't pay much attention, "Weezy, there's no way we're having dinner at Bunkerville!"

Louise frowned "George, they are our friends and they invited us to dinner!"

"Wrong, wrong, wrong!" her husband exclaimed, "Only one of them invited us and they aren't our friends they're our ex-neighbors! 'Ex' as is no more, not in our life any more…like an ex-boyfriend, ex-boss, an ex-employee…"

"How about ex-husband?" Louise asked crossing her arms.

"There you go!" George exclaimed and Louise rolled her eyes.

"George…" his wife warned.

"Listen Weezy…" but before George could go on Louise interrupted.

"George, where are we going to go? There is nowhere else!" she exclaimed, "Lionel and Jenny are having dinner with their friends, The Willis' are having dinner with Helen's family, Mr. Bentley is over in England and Florence…"

"Florence!" George practically jumped "We can have Thanksgiving with her. She's got no life!"

Louise continued to frown, "She's serving Thanksgiving meals to the homeless."

"Damn haven't those guys been through enough?!"

Louise shook her head, "George, we are having dinner with the Bunkers and that's final!"

"But Weezy!" George tried to protest but his wife had already walked back over to Edith and the two resumed with their conversation about tomorrow. George's frown increased as he crossed his arm, pouted some, and then dropped onto the seat across from Joey.

Back at home, Stephanie Mills came down the stairs to see the scene of Archie, Hank, Harry, and Barney sitting around the dinning room table with poker chips in the center of it, cards in each of their hands, and cigar smoke flowing through out the room.

"And that's what we call a full house!" Archie grinned as he showed his friends his cards and they all groaned.

"Aren't you supposed to be working on Thanksgiving dinner?" she asked her uncle as she walked over to the table.

"Nah, nah. Edith told me to take out the turkey and we ain't got one, sos that bird flew out the window." Archie said with a cigar between his teeth.

"Then aren't you gonna take out the chickens?"

"Them things don't need to come out now." Harry explained

"Yeah," Archie agreed, "all youse gotta do is take it out an hour before, let it refrost and then it's good to go!"

Stephanie frowned some as she realized what the men were doing, "I thought you weren't suppose to play poker." She half stated half asked as she remembered her aunt's story of her uncle's gambling problem from many years ago.

"Uh, this ain't poker is it guys?" Archie asked his friends.

"No!"

"No way!"

"What's poker?"

Were the responses, Stephanie didn't believe it, "Then why are there poker chips there?"

"Geeze you're the question girl tonight, ain't ya?" her uncle asked trying to buy him some time before answering the question, "Ugh they're Hank's chips. We uh…called him up and told him to bring over some potato chips for the game and the dope brought these here."

"But…"

"Ain't youse got something to do?" Archie asked not wanting to answer another one of Stephanie's questions.

"I'm thirsty, so I came down to get something to drink." she informed him as she headed for the kitchen.

"Yeah well then get your drink and then go on back to your room." Archie instructed but Stephanie just waved her hand as she pushed open the swinging door.

"Hey, how come I'm the dope?" Hank asked and the three men looked at each other.

"Maybe its cause of them fumes." Barney suggested and Harry and Archie grinned as they knew where it was their friend was going.

"What fumes?" Hank asked confused

"The fumes youse re-hale when youse dye your hair." Archie dryly said and the men excluding Hank shared a laugh. Then something popped into his head, "Ah geeze…" he groaned.

"Wha's a matter?" Harry asked as he watched his friend get up from the table.

"The kid's in the kitchen getting something to drink and the beer's in there." Was the last thing Archie said before disappearing to the kitchen.

Moments later the phone rang, but none of the men paid it any attention.

"Hey one of youse get that huh?!" Archie called

The three men looked at each other, trying to decide who would go answer it, then they came up with a plan. Paper, Scissors, Rock. And so they played the game and as luck was not on his side tonight Hank was the loser, meaning he had to answer the telephone.

He sighed before getting up as Harry and Barney snickered whole they watched him.

"Hello?" he said into the phone.

"Oh hello Hank." Edith said surprised to hear his voice.

"Oh hi Edith."

"What are you doing there? Oh are you helping Archie get ready for tomorrow?"

"Uh…" Hank thought for a minute "yeah."

"Oh that's nice of you." Edith said smiling, "Is Archie there?"

"Oh yeah. But he can't talk right now he's uh busy…getting the stuff ready for tomorrow." He lied

"Oh. Well can you give him a message for me?"

"Yeah sure! You get a plane out yet?" Hank asked assuming that was the message.

"No, not yet. Could you tell Archie that I ran into the Jeffersons…you remember them don't you? George and Louise."

"Yeah, Yeah."

"Well," Edith continued "I ran into them here at the airport and I invited them to come have Thanksgiving with us!"

A smile sprung to Hank's face. "You ran into the Jeffersons?" he asked in disbelief

"Yeah."

"George and Louise Jefferson?"

"Yeah."

"There at the airport?"

"Yeah."

"And you invited them over here?"

"Yeah."

"To have Thanksgiving with us?"

"Yeah."

"And they're coming?"

"Yeah." Edith said wondering why he was asking so many questions and she became even more confused when she heard him laugh. "Does that mean you'll tell him?"

Hank then snapped out of it, "Oh yeah, sure I will."

"Oh thank you Hank. Well I better go, tell Archie I'll call him as soon as they tell us something about a new flight."

"Sure thing, Bye."

"Bye."

Hank hung up the phone and walked back to the dinning room table where he was met by Harry and Barney who both had an expression showing that they were obviously confused and interested.

"The Jeffersons are coming here?" Barney asked in a whisper and Hank nodded.

"Geeze, Archie's gonna hit the roof when he hears about this." Harry commented.

"I know." Hank said grinning away, "Shh he's coming." He said as he heard Archie and Stephanie coming their way.

"Listen kid, no where does it say that youse can act like a wino and sleep in till noon just cause you're on vacation!" Archie exclaimed as the two walked out of the kitchen.

Stephanie turned around to look at her uncle, "And where does it say that I have to wake up at the crack of dawn to help you make Thanksgiving dinner?"

"In the Bible." Archie simply said and his niece rolled her eyes as she headed for her room upstairs, "And if youse don't wanna look at that," Archie continued remembering the young girls religion, "then just look at the old saying. 'The early bird gets the egg.'"

Stephanie walked up the stairs not paying attention to Archie's words as the three men were confused by them. Archie however, ignored the looks as he sat back down in his seat.

"Who was that on the horn?"

"Oh uh…" Harry and Barney seemed to say together neither knowing how to tell him, but Hank did.

"Wrong number." He simply said and Archie accepted the answer while Harry and Barney looked astonished by his friends' words.

Archie noticed this and frowned, "Get rid of the deer in the headlights looks and deal the cards!" he shouted causing Barney to jump before he passed out the cards.

Back in Chicago as she waited for Edith to return from making her phone call, Louise was getting reacquainted with Gloria as George sat in a near by chair looking very much irritated.

"I'm so sorry to hear about you and Mike."

"Oh it's ok." Gloria began, "I'm doing much better now, I'm going to college now and Ma's helping me take care of Joey, and Daddy's helping out too…"

"Yeah, he musta drove the poor guy away." George said to himself.

"George!"

Gloria smiled some, "It's alright. Daddy's actually been sending us abit of money every so often to help us out."

"Oh how nice." Louise said smiling

"Yeah. Say how's Lionel?"

"Oh he's doing great!" Louise began "He and Jenny got married a few years ago, they're living in their own apartment now and oh they just had the most beautiful baby girl things are really…" Louise then realized what she was saying, "but he lost his favorite sweater a few weeks ago and hasn't found it yet so things aren't too great."

Gloria smiled as she figured out what her ex neighbor had done.

"Mommy I'm tired." Joey said as he leaned his head on his mothers shoulder.

"Oh I know honey."

Louise smiled at the scene before her and then began to speak. "You know maybe we should get some sleep…"

"What are you talking about Weezy?"

Louise looked at George, "Sleep George, you know what you do at night."

George continued to frown, "We can't sleep here. Someone could come and steal our things while we're asleep! Let's go check into a hotel or something."

"George, it's too late to check into a motel let alone a hotel."

"What? It's never too late, I'm George Jefferson of Jefferson Cleaners!" he said making every word seem more important than the other.

"Yeah Mr. Jefferson," Gloria began, "but here you're just…George Jefferson of Jefferson Cleaners." She said in a tone of the exact opposite.

George continued to frown, "I ain't sleeping here."

"Good because you're not."

"I'm not?" asked George in disbelief.

"No, you're going to stay up and watch our bags."

"Say what?!"

Louise rolled her eyes, "George you just said someone could come and steal our things, so you are going to make sure that doesn't happen."

"But why me?"

"Because you're the only man who's with us."

George frowned, "But what about….him!" he said pointing at the drowsy blonde boy sitting in front of him.

"You want to leave our bags in the care of a six year old?" Louise asked in disbelief.

"Sure! We'll stock him up with sugar and he'll be ready to go!"

Joey, hearing this, sat straight up with a smile plastered across his face, as one of the women gave a small smile and the other not one at all.

THURSDAY 8:00 A.M.

BUNKER HOME

Archie Bunker was fast asleep on the pink couch in his living room when Stephy bounced down the stairs in her purple pajamas and matching robe. Sleeping without someone on the left side of the bed was something Archie couldn't get use to and so some nights he slept on the sofa just as he'd done last night.

Stephanie switched on the TV before flopping onto her uncles chair, the volume of the TV show wasn't too loud but still it woke Archie.

"Geeze." He groaned "What the hell is this? What happened to your wino plan?" he asked after spotting his niece and sitting himself up.

"I forgot that the cast of Three's Company was coming out on the Macy's parade." Was her response while never looking away from the television.

"Geeze, I hate that show." He growled "That set of theirs makes me wish TV was still shown in black and white." He said running his hand down his face, "Hey and don't youse never do what them two girls are doing."

"Live with a guy who pretends to be gay?" she asked watching her uncle get up from his seat.

"No. Move in with a guy." Stephanie rolled her eyes as he continued, "Not until after your married."

"Shouldn't you get started on dinner? Aunt Edith's not home yet." She reminded

"Ah..." he growled before blowing a raspberry, "To that. Listen kid, you know why it takes your Aunt Edith so long to make Thanksgiving dinner?" She shook her head, "Cause she bought too much stuff! She gets confused with all them stuff she bought that she don't remember wha goes in wha. I'm surprised I ain't never found a turkey leg in the pie!"

Stephanie took a deep breath, "Well if that's true then you should be done in five minutes." She said deep in sarcasm.

"Exactly!"

"But…"

"Rose Mary don't worry about it, just watch the 'Two's Company' show, I've got it all planned out." He said before leaving into the kitchen.

"That's what I'm worried about." She said aloud before going back to watching the tube.

Back at the familiar airport in Chicago, Edith along with four cups of coffee made her way to where the others were sleeping. First she decided to wake Louise so they could catch up some more. "Louise." She called nothing, "Louise." She tried again and still nothing she tried a few more time before finally succeeding in waking her friend.

"Oh Edith." Louise said squinting her eyes, "What time is it?"

"Where?" Edith asked not sure if she meant here in Chicago, or in New York, or what her watch had, California.

Louise shook her head, "Um here."

"Oh," Edith looked at a near by clock, "Nine Thirty."

"Gee, I didn't think I was going to be able to sleep here but I guess eight hours counts as sleep."

Edith gave a small smile.

"How long have you been up?" Louise asked sitting up

"Oh since six."

Louise's eyes went wide, "Six?!"

"Yeah." She shook her head, "Ever since I've been out in California, I ain't been sleeping too good. I guess I'm not use to sleeping in a bed without Archie, so when I'm in California I don't sleep much."

"I bet you don't sleep much when you're in New York either." Louise said smirking

Edith frowned as she tried to figure out what her friend was getting at, and then she did. "Ooohhh! Oh Louise." She said blushing and Louise gave a chuckle, "Oh here I brought you some coffee." Edith said remembering the cups she brought with her.

"Oh thank you." Louise said taking the cup

"I smell coffee." Gloria said sitting up.

Both Louise and Edith smiled at each other and then back at Gloria. "Thanks Ma." Gloria said as she took the white foam cup in her hands.

"You're welcome. Oh I brought one for George, but I wasn't sure if he'd want it now." Edith told Louise.

"Oh thanks Edith. I'm sure he'd like to have it now, after all he stayed up…George!" Louise exclaimed as she turned and saw her husband curled up on the seat a few chairs away from them.

"George, George, George!" he cheered in his sleep with a small smile across his lips.

Both Edith and Gloria smiled while his wife frowned and stood up getting ready to wake him.

"Oh no Louise, maybe you should let him sleep. He'll need his strength for when we get to New York." Edith pointed out

"That's true…" Louise said sitting back down.

"Yeah, if we ever get a plane out here." Gloria scoffed before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Oh we will." A smiling Edith said.

"But when?"

"Soon. I heard them say it while I was getting the coffee." Edith informed them and they got excited. "At five thirty." Then the two faces dropped.

"Five thirty?!" Louise asked in disbelief

"Yeah."

"Oh Ma, that's so far away!" Gloria whined.

"No it ain't." Edith began, "It could be a lot worse. At least we're getting a plane out today, and we'll get to have Thanksgiving together." She finished cheerfully.

Gloria sighed, "I guess you're right ma. Well I better wake up my little boy, so he can take a nap on the plane and not bother any of the passengers."

"Yeah I better do the same." Louise said nodding.

Back at 704 Hauser Street, Stephanie was sitting in her uncle's chair, still in her pajamas, watching the last of the parade when the phone rang. The young girl kept her eyes on the television set, tuning out the ring completely; unfortunately it wasn't so easy for Archie to do the same. He pushed open the door from the kitchen and made his way to the phone.

"Can't youse hear that?!"

"No." Stephanie said never moving her eyes from the TV, "I guess that 'damn music' is really ruining my hearing."

Archie frowned and shook his head while glaring at her, before answering the phone, "Yeah hello?"

"Hello Archie!" Edith greeted on the other line.

"Hiya there Edith." Archie greeted

"How are things going over there?" she asked smiling

"Oh they're going." Archie simply said.

"That's good." Edith said smiling, "I've got good news."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah but you gotta…" Archie knew what his wife was going to say so he quickly interrupted her.

"Edith youse say guess and I'm hanging up this here phone." Archie sternly said, but Edith's smile never disappeared.

"We got a plane out!" se said happily.

A smile quickly appeared over Archie's face as he quickly realized he wouldn't have to make the dinner if Edith would be here. "You did? That's great now…"

"Yeah. At five thirty."

Archie's smile dropped. "Five thirty? In Chicago time?!"

"Yeah I think so…" Edith began to say,

"Edith that means you ain't gonna be home till…"

"After seven." The couple said together

"Geeze" Archie groaned

"Oh Archie, it ain't that far away. But that means now youse gotta…" Archie then knew exactly what his wife was getting at.

"Oh no!" Archie shouted

"Get started on Thanksgiving dinner." Edith finished.

"Listen Edith," Archie began, "Archie Bunker ain't made no Thanksgiving dinner in his life and he ain't never going too!"

"Oh Archie it won't be so bad, all you gotta do is follow the recipes…and I'm sure Stephy will help you."

Archie frowned as he looked over at his niece who continued to sit in his chair, absorbed in the television special, "Yeah I wouldn't put all my chickens in that there bucket." He took in a deep breath, "Edith why can't we wait till youse get home?"

"Oh Archie if I could I would but I can't. If youse don't get started on it we won't be able to having Thanksgiving dinner till the next day." Edith explained.

"Ok, sos we'll have one extra day with the leftovers. Just one new recipe youse gotta come up with to hide the turkey in." Archie stated and Edith frowned sensing his wife wasn't on board with that idea he tried again, "Ok then we'll just skip it. Thanksgiving ain't that big of a holiday, we don't get no gifts."

"No, but we thank God for all the gifts he'd blessed us with." Edith pointed out

"Alright so we'll do it another time just before dinner." Archie said and Edith frowned, "No good huh?"

"No." Edith frowned and shook her head, "Well anyways, I'm sure everything will be fine, youse could even get everyone from the bar to help you out and then things would go by faster and easier."

Archie thought for a few seconds, "Unless youse wanna come home to a burned down kitchen I think I better do without them."

Edith laughed a small laugh, "Oh Archie. I know you'll do great. All youse gotta do is remember that we'll all be together, having dinner, spending time, and catching up with each other." She said smiling.

"Yeah, yeah." Archie said not showing just how happy that made him.

"Oh I better go Archie I'll see you soon! Goodbye!"

"Yeah alright bye Edith." Archie said before hanging up with phone. He sighed as he looked over at Stephanie, "Well kid did youse hear that?"

"What?!" Stephanie said pretending she couldn't hear a word her uncle was saying.

"Did youse hear what your Aunt Edith just said?" Archie asked abit louder

"I can't hear you!" Stephanie shouted and Archie frowned.

"Ah dummy up youse." He said before turning his attention back to the phone, punching in the familiar number he waited a few seconds before receiving an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hi there Harry." Archie greeted.

"Oh hi Arch, Happy Thanksgiving."

Archie then pretended to be surprised, "Is it Thanksgiving already?"

"Yeah." Harry said nodding

"Oh my how the time had flown." Archie began, "Say youse still up for coming over for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah sure!" Harry responded never giving it a second thought.

"Good. Then get your butt over here in fifteen minutes!" Archie shouted before hanging up the phone and then dialing the next number.

Almost an hour later Archie and Stephy along with the other guys were sitting in the kitchen.

"Alright youse guys…" Archie began and the young girl cleared her throat, "and girl. We've got a situation here, Edith ain't gonna be home till after seven sos youse…"

"Wait a minute…" the group began to say before arguing against Archie's use of the word, 'youse'.

"Alright, alright, alright. We've gotta cook up the dinner ourselves." Archie explained and many groans followed. "Now come on guys don't youse guys wanna have dinner here?"

"Yeah sure, but I thought Edith was gonna make the dinner." Barney pointed out.

"Yeah Arch for this I could stay home and made them TV dinners." Harry said aloud.

Archie frowned, "Listen to youse guys. Expecting a woman to do all the work for thanksgiving dinner. I'm disgusted!"

The three men exchanged looks, they now did feel abit guilty, especially since the woman they were expecting to do all the work, was already doing enough.

"Alright."

"I'm in."

"What do I have to do?"

Were their responses and Archie smirked. "Alright, I've got it all planned out this is how it's gonna work. Rosemarie youse work on the chickens." this earned him an eye roll from his friends as he put a young woman to work on the most important part of the dinner; it went unseen as he went on with his plan.

"Hank youse work on the corn bread and yams. Harry youse got the stuffing and gravy, and Barney you're in charge of the pies." He went on and the four others frowned as they noticed he didn't include himself.

"Hey what are youse doing?" Barney asked.

"I'm in charge of the cranberries." He simply replied.

"And?" Stephanie asked

"And making sure youse baboons are doing your jobs while watching the Dallas Cowboys game."

This statement only upset his audience more as they exchanged glances knowing they would have to change Archie's plan, around abit.

George Jefferson sat at the bar of a nearby restaurant the five had gone to, to get some lunch, as the bartender served him another shot. He lifted the glass, "And I'm thankful for shot glasses." He paused, "Because without them you couldn't do shots!" he said before cracking up at his own joke.

Louise who was searching for her husband saw him right away. "George!"

"Oh hi Weez."

"What are you doing?"

George looked at his wife, "I'm celebrating Thanksgiving 1981!" he said before drinking the shot, this only made his wife angrier.

"George, how many have you had?"

George thought for a few minutes and then began to count using his fingers lifting each one of them up faster then the last, finally he used them all and he then shrugged while keeping his hands open and his lips pouted.

"George!" Louise yelled, "They'll never let us on the plane with you like this!"

George pretended to be disappointed, "Aw man Weez! That means we won't be able to have dinner with the honkies…I mean turkeys."

Now Louise knew what he was up to, she turned to the man behind the bar, "Black coffee and keep it coming." She ordered, as her drunk husband blew her a kiss oblivious to what she was doing.

Back in Queens, in a familiar kitchen some were preparing for the big meal.

The four older men were moving through out the kitchen which was already a mess. Flour spilled in some places, dishes and pans through out the counter, and they all seemed to be in search of something.

"I found the pan!" Barney announced holding up a pan that the chickens would be cooked in; as soon as he made his announcement the other men cheered some.

Just then Stephanie walked in; she frowned, "What have you made?" she paused, "Besides a mess."

Archie frowned at his niece, "We…"just then the buzzing like ring was heard from the green egg timer. Stephy was curious to see what it was the men had made and tried to see the inside of the oven but to her surprise instead of going to the right side of the kitchen they all moved to the left and out the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Football." Hank replied

"Fifty dollars on the Bears!" Harry declared.

"Naw the Chiefs are gonna win all the way." Barney argued as Archie went over and turned on the tube.

Stephanie shook her head, "Aren't you gonna get started on dinner yet?"

"Sure we'll do it on…" Harry began

"Halftime!" Barney declared.

Stephanie's eyes became wide and then she frowned, "If you do that you'll only have half a meal."

This made the men think as silence fell over them "Half the dishes to wash!" Harry exclaimed and Barney and Hank showed that they agreed.

Archie however did not. "Hold on youse guys; the kids gotta point. We gotta get started come on." He said getting up not turning on the TV.

The men groaned, "Oh come on!"

"No, no. Edith's coming home soon and we've got nothing now come on…"

The three then began to bargain.

"I'll double my bet on the Chiefs!" Harry declared this got Archie to raise his eyebrow.

"Halftime youse say?"

And then he went back to the TV causing his friends to cheer and his niece to look at him with only shock on her face; she shook her head and went into the kitchen leaving the men to their game.

Hours later the four men entered the kitchen each of the giving their opinion on the just finished game.

"Geeze that was some game." Said Barney

"Yeah," Archie agreed, "I wonder where I'm gonna put the once belonged to Harry but now belongs to me fifty dollar bill."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Come on Arch we all know where youse are gonna put that there dough."

Archie frowned but before he could speak Barney cut in.

"In your secret cigar box up on the top shelf of the closet, you ain't never told nobody about."

"That already has a hundred and nine dollars in it." Hank added.

Archie continued to frown, "Ah," he blew a raspberry, "to youse guys." He said putting the bill in his pocket.

"Hey Arch what's this?" Hank asked picking up a yellow paper from the table and showing it to Archie.

Archie looked at it, "That there Hank, is a paper. Now next week we'll teach youse the name of the thing youse right on it with."

Hank looked at his friend looking both hurt and upset, not noticing Harry took the sheet out of his hands.

"It's from Stephanie." He shared with the others.

"Who?" Archie asked confused and his friends rolled their eyes. "Geeze gimme that." He said yanking the sheet out of his business partners hands, he then began to read it making sure to pull the paper back as far as he could, "It's from the kid." He announced "Ah geeze listen to this traitors note. 'Went to the O'Brian's be back at six. The kid.'"

"Guess that means we're on our own now huh?" Hank asked and the others agreed in a tone that showed they weren't too thrilled about it.

"Hey but that don't matter, we can't do it can' we?" Archie asked rhetorically, "After all what's a woman got that a man don't?"

The men opened their mouths to say something but Archie stopped them all "Don't be dirty! Now come on get over to your places and get started on the food." He instructed and so the men split up through out the kitchen. Archie frowned as he watched Harry walk over to the stove and pick up Edith's green egg timer.

"What the hell are you doing with that? We ain't even baked nothing yet!" he exclaimed.

"I know! I'm setting it for the next game!" Harry shouted back, "Hey Barney what's the time?"

Barney looked down at his watch, "Ten till four."

Harry then began to move the timer.

"Geeze!" the two bar owners groaned, "We ain't gonna make it!" the other men looked over at them

"What's wrong?" Hank asked

"We ain't got enough time 'fore the game starts." Harry stated and Archie frowned.

"Forget the game, Edith's coming home soon and we ain't even gotten started!"

Harry shook his head, "Arch, Edith's plane don't get in for almost four hours we've got less then half of that till the Dallas game starts!"

Archie's two other friends groaned, "Come on lets go." They all seemed to say as they headed for the swinging door, Archie sprang over to the door to block them.

"Hold it a minute guys." He told them, "Now come on, we can make this here dinner and watch the game at the same time."

"How?" Barney asked lifting up his chin

Archie looked at his friends as they looked at him interested in what he would say next. He lifted both his eyebrows, "I don't know." And then sat down at the table.

"Gee," Hank started to say, "when are they gonna invent a TV that goes in the kitchen?"

"Right after the put one in the can." Harry said and the other men nodded in agreement.

After listening to his friends conversation a light went off in Archie's head, "I got it." He then sat up, "I'll go on upstairs to the kids' room and get the portable television there and then just bring it on down here."

Once more his friends showed they were not on board for this idea.

"Now way Arch!" Harry shouted.

Barney agreed "Yeah it's too small."

"And it's in black and white." Hank added and the others stared at him

"Why the hell do youse need it in color?" Archie asked, "Wanna make sure they ain't really wearing white, since it's after Columbus Day?"

Hank frowned as the others rolled their eyes.

"Forget it Arch," Barney began, "I ain't watching the Thanksgiving football game on a TV that's smaller then the chickens youse bought."

"Alright, fine!" Archie exclaimed, "Just remember what the ol saying says. Beggars can't be choosers."

"Sure they can, and we choose to watch the game instead of helping youse cook!" Harry said as they started to head towards the door once again.

"Aw come on youse guys there's…I got it!" Archie exclaimed clapping his hands together and the others looked on with confusion.

"Harry come on out here with me. And youse two stay here and get started on the food" Archie instructed as he left out of the kitchen and the men did as they were told.

"Hey Arch, why'd I come out here with you?" Harry asked as they made their way to the television.

Archie frowned, "Why do youse always ask questions? You're the 40% and I'm the 60%. Now when 60 says to do something 40 asks how high."

Harry rolled his eyes as Archie continued, "Now come on grab the other side of the TV."

Harry frowned, "Why?"

"What did I just say?"

Harry rolled his eyes, "How high?"

Archie rolled his eyes, "Just pick it up and I'll tell youse where to go." And so Harry did just that, "Ok now take it over into the kitchen."

"Arch this TV ain't gonna fit in there!" Harry declared

"What are you talking about, course it's gonna fit. What do you think it came from a seed we planted here?" Archie asked, "Now go."

Harry sighed as he went into the kitchen with one side of the TV in his arms and the other in Archie's; then they placed it down leaving it in front of the swinging door. This was obviously wasn't going to work. The TV was so big it did give enough room for movement in the kitchen to take place.

Harry looked at Archie, a smirk playing on his lips, "Shad up." Archie quickly said and then began to think he then measured the height of the TV with his arms and then compare it to the height of the counter that was net to the dinning room table. It didn't work, "Ok I got it. Harry move it right out of the kitchen."

"Why?"

"Forty, forty." Archie said and Harry became bothered but still picked up the TV and did what he was told.

"Ah geeze watch it there, you're gonna hurt a valuable piece of my equipment." Archie groaned.

It didn't take long for them to move out of the kitchen, placing the TV just out side the kitchen door.

"Ok," Archie began "Now get over on that other side of the kitchen and hold the door open." This time Harry didn't even bother arguing. "Ok" Archie said to himself and then pushed the TV against the wall before disappearing to mess with the wires.

His friends looked on with confusion. "You know what he's doing?" Barney asked

Harry looked over at him "He don't know what he's doing." He said dryly.

The men chuckled only to have it interrupted by an unseen Archie yell "Ah Geeze!"

"Wha's the matter Arch?"

Harry looked over at the men, "Don't ask that!" he said in a whisper, "He could have electrocuted himself and passed out, then we could go down to the bar and watch the game."

"Oh yeah." They seemed to say in ushion.

"I heard that!" Archie said before reappearing. "Ok now…" he said and then realized the TV was blocking the entrance into and out of the kitchen, "Help me over there huh?" he demanded more then suggested as he climbed over the TV and his friends pulled his arms for support.

"Geeze. Alright." Archie said, "Get ready boy's because youse are about to be part of history. The first television in the kitchen." He said before moving to turn on the tube. It worked and the men cheered and clapped some.

Only when Harry clapped, he let go of the swinging door and so the door slammed against the TV, making the men disappointed once again.

Back in Chicago, the small group on their way to the Hauser home were in line to board the plane. As Gloria, Edith, and Joey walked ahead of the couple Louise took the time to bagger her husband some more, over the drinking he'd done. The coffee had helped George some but he still had a pounding head that his hand rubbed as Louise went on.

"I just can't believe you would drink so much, just so we wouldn't have dinner with them."

George rolled his eyes, and a woman and her crying baby came and stood behind him. "Geeze…" he groaned.

Louise looked over at the baby and then at her husband, "Oh look George he's speaking you language." noticing that George still seemed bothered she tried again, "Oh don't worry with any luck, they won't sit near us on the plane."

George frowned more as he kept his hand on his forehead, "Yeah any luck but mine."

Louise sighed as she turned away from her husband and over to her friends.

"Say Louise, do you realize this is only the second time we've spent a holiday together?" Gloria asked.

Louise's eyes became wider, "Oh that's true! Christmas right?"

"Yeah," Edith said, "Back in 1972."

"That makes me feel so old!" Louise said causing the other two to laugh.

"Mommy, I'm gonna go get another snack." Joey announced showing off another dollar before going under the ropes and back to the vending machines.

"What? Joey no..." Gloria tried to stop him but it was too late, she sighed, "Ma you stay here I'll be right back." Was the last thing she said before following her sons actions.

Both Louise and Edith smiled as they watched.

"So," Louise began, "What did Archie say when you told him we were coming?"

"I don't know." Edith simply said and Louise's face dropped.

"Well you did tell him didn't you?" she asked assuming the answer would be yes.

"No." Edith said shaking her head. "I called and his friend Hank picked up the phone since he was at our house helping decorate the place. He told me Archie was busy getting things ready and so I left my message with him. I don't now how he reacted.

This did not boost Louise's confidence and Edith could tell.

"Oh Louise don't worry." She told her, "I'm sure Archie will welcome you two with open arms."

"Ha!" George said out loud and the two women frowned.

Louise shook her head, "You're right Edith, I'm probably just worried. This is one my first Thanksgiving celebrated with more friends then family."

"Oh it's alright." Edith said smiling, "My Aunt Cynthia always thought things was celebrated better with friends then with family, so when I was sixteen years old she hosted thanksgiving dinner at her house inviting all of her friends and the only family members was my mother and us. Oh we all had so much fun, and we went home thinking my aunt was right. Until the next morning."

"Oh what happened?" Louise asked curious

"The rest of the family found out what happened and they all got into a huge fight. Oh I'll never forget it, and it all happened because my Cousin Jessica told my aunt…" Edith rambled on.

"Geeze," George groaned and his wife turned around to look at him. "She's worse then Bentley."

"What are you talking about?"

"At least with Bentley I got a door to slam in his face to shut him up, here I ain't got nothin."

Louise rolled her eyes at him before turning her attention back to Edith trying to catch up with the story.

Meanwhile back in the Bunker kitchen, the four men sat around the TV watching the game smoking their lit cigars. They were all absorbed in the game until just a few seconds after when Harry announced, "Commercial!"

Then they all got up and went to their places, all but Archie who went over to the fridge to get some beers, as Barney went to work on the pies, Hank the corn bread, and Harry the stuffing. Archie then began handing out the beers stopping when he saw Hank, with a pan of the corn bread batter in his hand, opening the door to the oven.

"What the hell are youse doing?"

"I'm puttin' in the cornbread." He simply said.

"Not with the chickens in there!" Archie declared.

"The chickens ain't in there." Barney said after overhearing the conversation.

"Sure they are, I put in them."

"When?" Harry asked

Archie looked at his business partner, "While youse filthy guys were watching them Dallas Cheerleaders."

"Did you wash 'em ?"Barney asked

Archie frowned, "Course I washed 'em, what kind of dope do youse think I am?"

"Which soap did you use?"

"The soap right there by the sink." Archie pointed, "The dish soap there."

"Arch you ain't supposed to use dish soap on food!" Harry exclaimed

"What are youse talking about?"

"The dish that the chickens already have dish soap on them so now it's gonna taste too much like the dish soap." He explained

Archie frowned before blowing a raspberry, "To that. Soap is soap, don't make no difference at all."

The men groaned while protesting as well but Hank still tried to put the bread in the oven.

"What are youse doing I just said youse can't put in the bread yet." Archie declared

"Why can't you just take out the chickens?" Hank question.

"I can't do that, they've gotta cook longer then that there bread." Was Archie explanation.

"Sure, but that means the bread won't take that long."

Archie stared at him blankly.

"Nice one genius." Harry called over.

Archie shook his head, "Listen Hank, the turkey's the most important part of the meal, so it's important it's made first."

"You ain't even got a turkey!" Hank shouted back.

"Yeah well, corn bread don't have no importance. We all ready got corn, all you gotta do is eat it with a slice of wonder bread."

Hank finally gave up and dropped the dish onto the counter taking a seat at the table to wait for the game to come back on.

"Hey, we're doing pretty good on time ain't we?" Barney asked aloud.

"Yeah." Harry said as he and the pot of stuffing made their way to the table where a empty dish was waiting. "It's only…" He checked his watch, his watch that was on the wrist of the hand that held his beer; he turned his arm around to look at the time not noticing until a few seconds, later. "Uh-o." he said quickly moving the beer can from spilling into the stuffing.

Archie and Barney's eyes became wide as they saw the seen before them, "What did youse do?"

"I just gave it a little flavor." Harry simply replied.

"A little flavor?!" Archie exclaimed, "Youse just spiked the stuffing!'

"Not on purpose!"

"We got two kids coming to this here dinner, if I wanted to get 'em buzzed I woulda taken them down to the saloon, sos I could get some profit!" Archie went on.

"Ah come on Arch…" Harry began and soon an argument was taking place.

"Game's back on!" Hank cried over the yelling.

Quickly the two men stopped fighting and they all sat down in the seat in front of the TV. Seconds later Stephanie entered the scene from the backdoor while softly sing Barry Manilow song to herself.

"At the Copa, Copacabana the…" she stopped as she saw the scene before her, "I knew you didn't know your way around the kitchen, but I at least thought you knew what you were supposed to do in it."

"We did what we was supposed to do. Jut look around." Archie challenged his niece never looking away from the screen.

There was silence, "Well since I don't hear nothing form the peanuts section, we must be doing pretty good huh?" Archie questioned

Stephanie continued to look around. "Where are the mash potatoes?" she asked after a few minutes.

"They're over there next to the gravy." Came Archie's response.

"You've got gravy but no potatoes." She informed him

Obviously still wrapped up in the game Archie answered, "Ok, well that don't matter we got them yans Harry made…"

"Yeah about those Arch…"

Archie quickly looked over at him.

"We didn't buy yams." Stephanie said aloud. Archie frowned as he looked over at her and then back to his business partner.

"Why didn't youse saying nothin?!"

"Cause then you were gonna make me go buy some…"

"Damn straight I…" he began

"Hey, Hey Hey, you two!" Barney cried, "Just sit down and watch the game huh? We'll worry about it on commercial break."

After glaring at each other for a few more minutes the two men moved their eyes back to the TV, getting hypnotized once again.

"Hey this stuffing is pretty good." Stephanie commented after eating a spoonful of the spiked stuffing. Quickly all four men stood up and reached for the bowl. Archie successful grasped it and then sat back down leaving his niece to stare at him with bewilderment

An hour or two later Archie and the rest of the guys continued cooking the meal; and things seemed to be going smoothly.

"Well youse guys," Archie began, "We ain't done too bad after all. We got an hour till Edith's plane gets in and dinners almost done."

Barney, Hank, and Harry showed some of their excitement as well.

"Hey Arch, shouldn't the kitchen be smelling like chick…turkey?" Barney asked

"Yeah it's been in there for almost two hours." Harry pointed out.

"Nah, it's cause we ain't opened the door so that there stench is locked up in there." He simply replied.

"I don't know Archie I think you should check it." Barney said

"I think youse should check it." Archie said mockingly, "Alright, I'll check to show youse I'm right."

The men rolled their eyes as Archie then went over to the stove and opened the door with the others following right behind. Archie frowned as he saw the bird in the oven, the other men looked at each other.

"Uh…"Hank struggled, "It's pink Arch."

Archie's frown increased as he turned his head to look at his friends, "Youse sure it ain't magenta?" he then stood up grabbed the oven mitts and put them on before taking the chickens out of the stove, placing it on the counter.

Stephanie then entered the kitchen, "What's going on?" she asked as she walked over to the stove.

"Nothin." The said together trying to cover the 'turkey'

The young girl shrugged her shoulders, "Well your corn's turning into mush."

Harry quickly went over to the burner to check on the corn, leaving a space just big enough for Stephanie to fit through to see what was wrong with the chickens.

"It's pink!"

Archie rolled his eyes

"How did this happen?" she asked confused.

"Hey maybe it came off from the pieces of turkey youse put on top." Harry suggested

"Geeze that's gotta be the dumbest idea ever!" he shouted.

"Did you turn it on?" Barney asked

"Of course I turned it on."

"On the right temperature?" Stephanie questioned and her uncles frown increased.

"Yes, on the right temperature." He said abit mockingly but still Stephanie walked over to the stove to make sure. "It's that damn stove. Twenty five years we've had it, and it ain't till the Thanksgiving I'm cooking, that it breaks down I…"

"You put it on the wrong temperature." Stephanie simply said.

"What are youse talking about I put it on 350 on the dot." Archie said sure that he had done just that.

"Well you must be using the metric system, because it says 270."

Archie began to think, he could have sworn he put it on 350. Then it hit him, slowly he looked over at Hank who was trying to hide the un baked corn bread. He was unsuccessful.

"Hi." He said smiling hoping his friend hadn't caught on, but he did.

"I thought I told youse not to cook vegetable bread?!"

"I didn't!" Hank protested, "I just preheated the oven for it."

"How could you have…" Archie asked and soon the two began to argue.

"Hey come on youse guys." Barney called quieting them down.

"Yeah, Barney's right." Harry agreed standing by an open fridge, "We've got bigger problems. We ran outta beer."

Archie rolled his eyes.

"I'm gonna run to the bar and go get some more." Harry said before climbing over the TV that remained in the doorway.

"Don't forget to put it on your growing tab!" Archie called before turning his attention back to the bird, he sighed.

"What are you gonna use now? Chicken nuggets?" Stephanie asked

"Wha are youse talking about, we can still use these here chickens we just gotta work faster." Archie explained.

Stephanie looked at him in disbelief, "Aunt Edith's plane is coming in in an hour, you need at least three to…"

"Geeze. Lemme tell youse something." Archie interrupted her, "You've been living here with us for almost two years right?" the young girl nodded, "Ok sos that makes you part Bunker and for the Bunkers, nothin is impossible. Alright?"

Stephanie smiled a small smile.

"Now youse go on out to there and set the table, and we'll figure out how to fry these here." He instructed

"Ok." She agreed, "how many plates do we need?"

"Let's see…" Archie said before mumbling to himself obviously counting the guest he knew were coming. "Eight." He asked after minutes of waitng.

"That sure was fast." Barney said sarcastically and Archie shrugged not noticing the tone.

"Hey wait a minute Arch. We need ten not eight." Hank said.

"What are youse talking about? It's eight. Me, Edith, Gloria the two kids, and youse three stooges, that makes eight."

"Youse forgot the Jeffersons."

"Oh yeah, yeah the Jeffersons…wha?"

"Yeah, they're coming to dinner." Hank continued.

Archie began to get upset, "Youse better mean Thomas and whatever the hell his wife's' name was Jefferson."

"Nope. George and Louise."

Archie looked as if he would explode.

"Surprise!"

Archie's frown increased as he watched his friends' smile increase, Barney meanwhile looked worried and Stephanie held back her laugh.

"Surprise? What the hell kind of surprise is this?" Archie asked, "Edith didn't say nothing 'bout this!"

"Sure she did." Hank said, "To me."

"When?!" Archie practically shouted

"Last night."

"And youse didn't tell me."

"Nope. I wanted it to be a surprise." He explained.

"Oh yeah, yeah…" Archie said in an understanding tone only to change it to a much different one, "I'm gonna kill you!" he shouted as he tried to strangle his friend as Stephanie and Barney quickly jumped in to stop him.