[OPEN] Thanksgiving in Reverein (2022)

[lonelysmiles]

Who: Anyone!
Which: Log, OPEN
Where: The Wild Harvest
What: Open mingle log for anyone wanting to attend the Thanksgiving dinner Alastor advertised on the journals the day before
When: Forward-dated to November 23rd between noon and 6PM
Warnings: None


Starting at noon and ending at six PM, The Wild Harvest had a few tables pushed together and covered by white tablecloths. Atop the tables were stacks of plates along with large serving trays full of food that had been promised in the invitation Alastor had put out the day before.

Also as promised, there were two extra tables added to the end, a stack of small slips of paper and a few pens. There was a little sign as well:

Please write your dish's name along with your own on one of the provided slips of paper. This way we can get any empty serving dishes back to their original owners.

Aside from the tables occupied by food, there were plenty of seats for people to sit down to eat at whether they wanted to mingle or to dine alone. A far nicer setup than the plaza the previous year.

Comments

[lonelysmiles]

[They're antlers, not horns, but now isn't the time for corrections.]

[He holds up his forefinger and thumb just the tiniest width apart.] Little bit.

[He reaches up to adjust his monocle in an awkward attempt to buy himself time to think of what to say.]

Honestly, my dear, I appreciate the gesture, but gumbo really is the worst dish to start with when teaching yourself Creole-Cajun cooking. It's quite complicated even for experienced cooks. The roux that forms the base has to be just right. If it isn't, you have to toss it out and start completely over.

[He turns his head before reaching out to grab a nearly empty dish of what look like puffy dough pillows covered in powdered sugar.]

These might be a bit more your speed as a start. Try one.

[lestray]

[Too true...]

I 'ear ya there! I used to live on the streets meself, so I didn't know much in the way o' feasts meself. It seemed like the kinda thing them rich hogged to 'emselves! I did get to 'ave some big dinners wiv friends back 'ome and 'ere too, but nuffin' on this level before! It really is amazin', innit?

[sos_pilot]

[ Tiny gaaasp of glee before grabbing one and shoving into her mouth. She talks as she eats. ]

It's like you grabbed a tiny puff of heaven! If I choked to death on this, I'd die happy! Then I'd come back as a ghost and try to eat more.

[sos_pilot]

[ The "rich" comment gives her pause, as she recalls some of Scrooge's more... unusual habits. ]

Actually, you'd be surprised about how some rich folks eat... I know a guy who reuses the same tea bag for a month straight.

[lestray]

[A confused blink.]

...Wot? Ain't that gross? Who in their right minds'd keep usin' a tea bag like that? 'Specially when they could buy all the tea they want!

[sos_pilot]

I know, right? But apparently he does it to save money.

[ Hm. It occurs to Della that if Scrooge isn't here, she can mock him all she want. Hurray for actions without consequences! ]

He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but maybe he was born without taste buds.

[lonelysmiles]

Would you believe that all that is is fried pastry dough with powdered sugar?

Cleanup and Leftovers!

[menaretrash]

Honestly, it's a shame Ann couldn't talk Seto into coming to dinner with her, but given who he is and the way he works, she hadn't pushed the subject very hard. Besides, it's been sort of nice, being able to get out on her own and just hang out and mingle with people. How long has it been since she'd last celebrated Thanksgiving of all holidays? Certainly seven or eight years, give or take. There hadn't been any reason once she'd moved to Japan, and with her travels since, she hadn't even thought of that particular holiday.

The conversation and meeting new people had been great, the food was delicious but Ann isn't the sort of person to just dine and dash, so to speak. It had been a kind gesture to cook all of this food for everyone, so, the least she can do is stay to help and clean up, even if it's just for a little while. That's the nature of the holiday, after all, giving thanks.

She's seen Alastor out of the corner of her eye on and off as he'd periodically come to take a look at the diners, he's not exactly hard to miss. So as she moves to clean off a table as he sits down, she smiles politely at him.

"Hello! Thank you so much for dinner, it was all super yummy and it was really nice to celebrate Thanksgiving again. I hope you don't mind me trying to pitch in a little bit here, I think you and the others have definitely worked hard enough tonight, you know?"

[lestray]

...Yeah, an' save 'is own spit at the same time...

[She gives a grossed out look.]

Sounds like a strange cove alright. ...I guess if 'e weren't born wiv the money, I could see why 'e would wanna save it. Growin' up the way I did, I know I wouldn't wanna lost an easy livin' if I found it. [Like life here in Reverein, where she doesn't even really have to worry about money and can enjoy free foods like this.] ...But still, that 'ole tea bag thing is too far!

[sos_pilot]

Dude, I'd eat my own leg if it was fried in pastry dough with powdered sugar. I believe you.

[sos_pilot]

[ She chuckles. Sure, mocking Scrooge is easy, but sharing his lore is just as fun, and she does love the old coot. Plus, it'll pass time for their stomachs to digest so they can eat more! ]

Oh, he definitely wasn't born with any loot. Scrooge McDuck, firstborn of Fergus and Downy McDuck, had to scrape by without much to him but his name. But he was determined to make a better life for himself and his family. His first job was cleaning and scraping the dirt and mud off passing workers... and his first customer gave him an American dime. But that's pretty much worthless when you're living in Scotland!

But it instilled in him a lifelong lesson to never be tricked like that again. From then on, he'd be tougher than the toughies, smarter than the smarties, and sharper than the sharpies - and he'd make it square!

[lestray]

[Gina almost looks wary as she goes on about him. Just because she remembers her own experience with a rich Scotsman. But Della seems to be describing him in a positive light, and she seems to have good taste at least when it comes to food, so she tries to approach this in an open mind, while seeming guarded.]

....Square, eh? So 'e's an 'onest one, is 'e? On the up an' up?

[sos_pilot]

You bet! Sure, he might be a little rough around the edges, but his family keeps in line in case he even thinks of straying.

[ Time to drop the bomb! She grins, sticking a thumb to her chest. ]

And I know that... 'cause he's my uncle!

[lestray]

Oi! You're related? [Her eyes widen in surprise!]

Does that mean you grew up wiv loads o' dough? [She is glad that he sounds like a very rare good rich person at least. She'll tentatively believe that.]

[sos_pilot]

[ That gets her to laugh a bit, waving her hand. ]

Nah, nah... He doesn't believe in hand-outs. And it's not like whenever we wanted something, we got it - we had to work for everything! We weren't going to be spoiled brats under his roof. So whenever he went on adventures to find lost treasures, we tagged along! ... Whether he liked it or not.

[lestray]

So 'e didn't give 'is money, but it ain't like 'e left ya out on the street or nuffin'. An'ya were able to join 'im on adventures an' all...

[It's not looking like the worst family situation at least. It sounds like the kind of thing Iris wante. Gina doesn't want to think about whether or not she'd like it herself.]

I guess 'e don't sound too bad.

[sos_pilot]

Aw, if he ever wound up here, I bet you two would get along like peas in a pod. He probably would see a lot of himself in you, thick accents and all!

[ Have a hearty slap on the back! ]

[lestray]

I ain't got no accent! Yer the only one talkin' wiv a weird accent 'ere!!

[She responds defensively, crossing her arms.]

... But who knows. Maybe we would get along well enough.

[sos_pilot]

[ Again, another good-hearted laugh. ]

If he gets along as well and I have, it's a great start! 'Bout time we actually introduced ourselves, huh?

[ Offers a friendly hand-shake! ]

Name's Della Duck!

[lestray]

Gina Lestrade. [She offers her hand for a shake and then uncertainty adds-] 'Uman.

Good to meet ya! This is a nice way to spend the time away while waitin' for me belly to rest.

[sos_pilot]

[ Until told otherwise, she's going to assume Lestrade is the middle name and 'Uman is the last. ]

I know, right? No better way than swapping stories... but I feel like I've been the only one weaving threads. Come on, tell me something interesting about yourself!

[lestray]

[She shrugs.]

I ain't got a grand story to tell or nuffin'. I used to live on the streets. Now I'm a detective, workin' to be the best inspector that Scotland Yard's ever seen an' lookin' to outdo even the great detective 'imself!

[lonelysmiles]

Then perhaps sometime I could show you how to make them for yourself!

[lonelysmiles]

Too busy playing children's card games?

"I appreciate the offer, my dear, but don't feel as if you're obligated to! You're a guest, after all!" He tilted his head to one side. "Though I don't believe we've met...?"

[lonelysmiles]

[Alastor gives another appreciative sniff.]

Chicken and potato soup? Certainly sounds tasty! I look forward to trying it...assuming there's any left by the time it's my turn to eat! Ha ha!