Thanksgiving Day couldn't be over soon enough for Daniel. He'd been bumped into, had his toes smashed by big feet and even sat upon. He wondered if somehow people stopped seeing him when he stopped seeing them.

He was hunkered down in the corner of the overstuffed couch, trying his best to ignore the excruciating scream issuing forth from a toddler who wanted to eat now. From what Daniel could tell, the parents were ignoring the kid. He clenched his fists several times and then clapped his hands over his ears to stop the noise.

Ruby noticed Daniel's discomfort and scooped up the unruly child and began whispering in her ear. The child stopped screaming to hear what was being said and soon was smiling at Ruby. She set the calmed child down, walked over to Daniel and settled on the seat next to him.

"Too much, huh?"

He nodded, forcefully.

Ruby laughed and wrapped her arm around Daniel. "We'll go as soon as we eat. There're too many people in this place for me, too."

Daniel heard a bell ring and silence gradually trickled through the rambunctious group of relatives. Ruby's mother raised her voice above the few children still giggling. "Dinner is served. Children in the kitchen. Adults in the dinning room. But first a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts we've received this year."

The group quieted down and Ruby's father gave a short, thank goodness, prayer.

Ruby clasped Daniel's hand. "Come on, I'll get your plate ready for you. George will take care of the girls."

Ruby led him to a chair and placed his hands on the back so he could seat himself. He could hear Julie on his left and Rachel on his right. Rachel took his right hand and showed him where the silverware, napkin and his glass of water were. He sat and listened to the bustling of the adults as the settle their children in with a plate of food. He tried to listen to each voice and he guessed that there were about twenty kids sitting in the kitchen at several small tables.

He recognized that George was setting plates down on either side of him for Julie and Rachel. Daniel realized that he was able to identify people he knew well by their scent and "feel" of their size. He had just begun to learn how to use a cane to listen for echoes, which could tell him how close and how big an obstacle in his path was. He figured that sensing someone's size might work the same way. He'd have to ask Mr. Addison about that when he got back to school on Monday.

As soon as all the kids were settled with food, the adults left for the dinning room. Julie told him what was on his plate, meat at six o'clock, veggies at nine o'clock, mashed potatoes at twelve o'clock and dressing at three o'clock.

A boy sitting across the table called out to Daniel. "Hey! Why do you wear sunglasses in the house? You afraid the sun will explode or something?" He thought this was hysterical and began laughing and banging the table.

Daniel didn't answer and kept eating.

"Hey, you! Four-eyes. I'm talking to you."

Daniel could feel Rachel tense up next to him.

"Eric, you don't know anything." Rachel admonished. "He's my brother and he's blind, like Aunt Barbara. Except he can see light and bright lights hurt his eyes, so he wears dark glasses to prevent that."

"Well, it looks stupid. He should wear a sign around his neck so the rest of us 'normal' people can avoid him." Eric, evidently pleased with himself, looked around the table for support.

Julie, only five years old, had had enough. "Eric, you're such a poo-poo head."

"Oh, yeah? Who are you calling a poo-poo head, baby?" Eric stood, fisted his hands on his hips and leaned across the table, threatening her with his size.

Julie stood and shook her finger in his face. "You…you…you're just dumb! Our brother has more brains in his little finger than you have in your whole body!"

During all this, Daniel ducked his head down, wishing he could disappear under the table. He hated having the girls defend him. He crossed his arms and began rocking gently, trying to block out the fighting going on because of him.

Eric sneered at Julie and Rachel stood up. "You leave my brother and sister along, you jerk!"

Eric narrowed his eyes and clenched a fist. Rachel's eyes widened, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, yeah?"

Daniel heard George enter the kitchen.

"What is going on here?" George's voice was not loud, but his military authority shone through.

"Daddy, Eric was picking on Daniel and Julie and I were…"

"That's a lie! I wasn't picking on the dummy!"

George moved over behind Eric and clasped his shoulder with a strong hand. "That's enough. There will be no name calling in your grandmother's home, or within my hearing. Is that understood?" George's gaze included his daughters, as he knew they weren't entirely without guilt in the name calling.

"Yes, Daddy," both girls answered.

Eric remained silent.

George tightened his grip just a bit on Eric's shoulder.

"Yes, Uncle George."

"Good. All right, it's over now. Everyone back to eating." George knelt down next to Daniel and took hold of his upper arms. Leaning in close, George spoke softly so only Daniel could hear.

"Daniel. It's over. Finish your dinner and we'll leave, okay?"

Daniel nodded and lifted his head up a bit. He took one of George's hands and signed into it, I'm not hungry.

XXXXXXXXXX

That night in bed, Daniel went over the dinner scene in his head. As the sounds and smells replayed in his mind, he tried to put a face to Eric's churlish voice and as the picture developed, he began to laugh. He had visualized a hairy, dark, human version of Pegleg Pete, Mickey Mouse's nemesis. When the giggles finally subsided he realized he could use this any time he felt afraid of someone. Just picture him as a cartoon character and laugh.