THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9511290038
SECTION: REAL LIFE PAGE: K2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: REAL MOMENTS
SOURCE: BY RUTH FANTASIA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
THE WISHBONE is broken and pumpkin pies are a memory. Thanksgiving dinner has been gone for days. Now all we have to do is pay the $600 bill.
No, we didn't invite 100 of our dearest friends for dinner. Nor did we eat a 700-pound bird.
It all started at the grocery store.
Paul, my husband, led the way, picking out the best butternut squash and the finest loaves of bread. Melissa, our 10-year-old, followed close behind, scooping up anything sweet. I tossed sugar and flour into the cart.
The market offered a free frozen turkey with purchases of $50 or more. A promotion that probably saved normal husbands a few bucks. But not mine.
Mr. Wanna-Be-Chef must have a fresh turkey on Thanksgiving Day. And because he considers anything under 15 pounds a chicken, the paltry 13-pound free turkeys weren't enough for our meal. He plucked an 18-pound, fresh Butterball from the case. To feed four people.
Then, he picked up the free frozen fowl.
``Dear, what are you planning to do with two turkeys?'' I asked, on the way home.
``I dunno,'' he said. ``Is there room in the freezer for the second one?''
At that moment in the top of our 14-cubic-foot refrigerator were two boxes of broccoli, five broken plastic ice trays, a half-gallon of ice cream, three assorted packs of frozen chicken parts, one bag of blueberries, half a bag of frozen dinner rolls and the ice pack for Melissa's lunch box.
``Nope,'' I replied.
``Well, how long will it keep in the refrigerator?''
``Long enough to thaw by Thursday. You can cook two for Thanksgiving,'' I said.
``No. We'll think of something.''
We reached the house and unloaded the groceries. The fresh turkey went into the refrigerator, the frozen one in the sink.
``You know, we could buy a freezer,'' Paul said as I started dinner.
``I thought if we were ever going to do anything, we were going to buy a new refrigerator and put this one out in the garage,'' I said.
``If we were to buy a new refrigerator, what would you want?''
``Glass shelves, an ice maker - and it has to be almond.''
``You don't want water in the door and all that stuff, do you?'' he asked over pork chops and rice.
``We're getting a new refrigerator?'' Melissa asked.
`` `No' is the answer to both questions,'' I said.
``Don't you want a new refrigerator?''
``Of course I do. Every night when I say my prayers I ask for this refrigerator to break down so I have a good excuse to buy a new one. I just don't think a free turkey is a good excuse.''
As I loaded the dishwasher, Paul took out the phone book.
``Hello. Do you have a 20-cubic-foot refrigerator with glass shelves and an ice-maker in stock?
``You do? Does it come in almond?
``Oh great. How much is it?
``It's on sale?''
`` How late are you there?
``No, I don't need delivery, I'll take it with me tonight.
``What? They aren't stocked at the store? Can you sell me the floor model?
``No, thanks. My turkey will be thawed by then.''
He hung up the phone and started flipping through the Yellow Pages again.
``Well, it's your call, dear,'' he said. ``Do we get a new refrigerator or not?''
``Only if you can bring it home tonight and it's everything I want,'' I said, feeling confident it couldn't be done.
He dialed again.
``Hello. If I walk in your store and buy a refrigerator, can I take it home tonight?
``I can? What's your name?''
I stood in the kitchen, trying to decide where the biggest turkey was. by CNB