感恩節大餐

Susan著 小哭譯

不在美國出生所導致的最糟糕的一件事兒是我們整個家族都不是在這裡出生的。家族中的絕大多數人住在中國，只有媽媽、爸爸、弟弟和我住在美國。當類似感恩節這種家族假日來臨時這就成了一個問題。感恩節的傳統是整個家族聚在一起吃火雞餐，可是因為我們家族中絕大多數人遠在大洋彼岸，於是我媽媽就邀請了朋友們過來團聚。

感恩節那天，全家都忙碌起來了。我忙着烤蘋果派，媽媽忙着烤火雞，爸爸忙着打掃整個房子。我們以前從來也沒有主辦過這麼大規模和這麼重要的聚會。感恩節基本上算是美國的假日，所以我們沒有很多慶祝感恩節的經驗，因為我們是華人。這個感恩節以前，我從來沒有自己烤過蘋果派，我媽媽也沒有烤過整隻火雞。這對每個人都是一個挑戰。我用了整個上午，從零開始做蘋果派，等到我最後做完的時候，累得都想再爬回床上休息了。

謝天謝地，客人來之前我們把所有的事情都搞定了。他們都遲到了半個小時至一小時之間。在這半個小時的時間裡，我是那麼地焦慮和激動。當他們終於到了的時候，我甚至更激動了！我們所有的客人都是華人（除了一人以外），在他們所有人當中，我們是了解美國感恩節文化最多的。給他們介紹美國文化，而不是其它別的什麼，讓人感覺很奇怪。但那讓我感覺很開心，因為我喜歡幫助人，我們主辦的聚會幫助了很多人，給他們帶來了快樂。

每個人都帶了食物來聚會，噢，天哪！他們是這麼地棒！有雞翅、排骨、肉、土豆、好吃的青菜和許多別的什麼我甚至都不認識的東西！晚餐前，我做了一個簡短的發言，介紹了感恩節的傳統和歷史。房間裡的多數人可能一點也不知道清教徒或美國土著人或任何這些故事。這樣開始一個夜晚很有趣兒。媽媽端上了她烤的火雞。相當地好！嘗起來就像商店買來的火雞那樣香。馬克（聚會上唯一的美國人）說這個火雞甚至比他在他的家族感恩節聚餐上吃的多數火雞都香。

吃完後，我在房子裡毫無目的地亂逛，看看人們都在幹什麼，這裡說幾句那裡聊兩句。房子到處都是喧囂的聲音，我覺得自己淌洋在一片節日的氣氛中。

所有的好事兒都在樓下。樓上（一樓）是無聊的大人們，彼此談論着他們的孩子（那是媽媽們）或者他們的工作（那是爸爸們）；樓下的地下室，是所有的孩子們，還有幾個酷到可以留在下面的大人。樓下熱鬧瘋了！孩子們到處亂跑、亂叫、亂喊和大笑。傑克和另外一個我這麼大的孩子也在那兒。傑克真是一個很有趣兒的人，他很擅長和孩子們在一起玩。可能他在樓下幫的忙遠大過我。幾分鐘後，孩子們跑去不同的組，女孩跟女孩玩兒，男孩跟男孩玩兒，他們自己玩着，留下孤單單的我們。

看着沒有什麼事可做，傑克的爸爸，就是馬克，建議我給他們表演一些魔術。我想“好啊！好啊!我終於可以給他們表演魔術了！”我能感覺到自己衝刺般地衝到了樓上，抓起卡片，以最快的速度演習了一下，就又沖回到樓下。就是這樣地。

客人們來之前我已經練習過半個小時了。我相當地確定我會有機會表演一些魔術，所以我要確保所有的卡片都準備好了。回到樓下試演我的新魔術並沒用多長時間。魔術還行，不是我表演得最好的一次，但也足夠好了。馬克非常地滿意。

接下來的一小時過得非常慢。每一個人真是都很飽，沒有人想吃餐後甜點。我不知道樓上在幹什麼，他們可能只是聊啊聊地聊了一整個小時吧。樓下，我們只是走來走去的，玩卡片遊戲。我很滿意地說，在輸了之前所有的三輪遊戲之後，我終於贏了最後一輪。傑克和聚會上的另一個傢伙很快地成為了朋友。傑克讀高二，另一個才六年級，不過他們幾乎一樣高。哇！孩子們只是跑來跑去，自己玩着。偶爾地，會出現一點問題，我們不得不處理一下。我注意到一個現象：所有的問題要麼是一個小男孩打別人，要麼是別人打他。他是個麻煩，就是他。幸運的是，沒發生什麼特嚴重的事兒。

只是坐在那兒，玩玩卡片，很好玩兒。我總算是可以在充滿焦慮地準備和等待一天之後放鬆下來了；我總算是可以享受這個聚會了。我希望這一刻可以永遠下去。但悲哀的是，我們都不得不上樓去吃蘋果派。沒有一個人想去再吃點什麼。我也不想吃派了，雖然是我自己烤的。我真的累了，但意想不到的是，來了一件讓我馬上振作起來的事情：魔術表演！

我要為客人們表演魔術！為他們所有的人表演，不只是馬克和少數幾個人。他們所有的人！立即，我不再覺得累了。就像上次一樣，我衝到樓上。但是因為那將是一個大規模的表演，我不得不演習一下以確認我把每一件事都準備好了。然後，我輕鬆地走下樓，等着幾個人坐下來就開始。剩下的人（除了一、兩個）在我做了幾個準備動作後坐了下來。好了，“夥計們”，我想，“你們看好了”。

我緊張不安，然而，我讓自己看起來充滿信心。我也很激動。我已經練習了這麼多了，為的就是這種時候。第一個技巧（我不想太多地使用“戲法”這個詞，因為“戲法”帶有一點負面的感覺）：成功。第二個技巧：成功。第三個：成功。第四個：成功。第五個：超級地成功！最後一個是迄今為止最棒的一個。在令人費解的魔術戲法之後，人們都很安靜，在想着到底是怎麼回事兒。

我認為這個表演甚至算得上最好的一個。不僅戲法是最好的一個，我的表演也是最好的一次。他們說魔術表演的魅力和驚喜一半來自於魔術師展示他/她的魔術的手法；另一半來自於表演本身。那絕對是正確的。我要確保觀眾一直很專心地聽我說，還要確保不要一下子把所有的東西都放到他們面前。並且，我還要確保不告訴他們秘密所在，這樣會使得這些戲法更加不可思議。這絕對是我最好的一次表演！現在，我來告訴你們這個秘密。秘密在這兒。噓……靠近一點，這就是秘密……“是魔法”。

魔術表演之後，我覺得好多了。當爸爸端來蘋果派時，我很樂意吃一塊了。我以為蘋果派嘗起來會甜得膩人，或者有一股肉桂粉的味兒，或者……反正我總覺得不會很好吃。結果卻證明非常地好吃！真的好吃！在活動和喧鬧之後，我很想吃點涼的。冰箱裡的蘋果派又涼、又鮮，甜度適當，嘗起來和我吃過的最好的蘋果派一樣。多數人也都喜歡吃。他們很是驚訝於是我做的。那晚我的自信心得到了極大的增強，開始是魔術戲法，然後是蘋果派。我想我媽媽也是如此，因為聚會搞得如此地好，她的火雞也相當地棒。

最後，馬克說聚會非常地好。他說聚會因着火雞和蘋果派而“非常美國化”。這是相當好聽的恭維話，特別是從某個參加感恩節聚會的年頭比我的年紀都大的人口中說出來。明年我們肯定還會再搞一次聚會！我希望自己可以表演更多的魔術！

【小哭介紹背景】這一篇不屬於Susan的校園生活，本來我只想和幾個朋友私下分享的。但後來發現主要內容“變魔術”屬於學校的大作業，於是覺得發表也有理由了。其實主要是我特別地想發表這篇，因為Susan在文後的一句話“那晚我的自信心得到了極大的增強，開始是魔術戲法，然後是蘋果派。”這是對我張羅這個聚會所有的辛苦和付出的最好回饋。不用說，明年我肯定還會再搞這樣的聚會！除了帶給她積極正面的精神面貌外，現在的我能夠幫到她的地方已經非常地有限了。在我還能有一定影響力的領域，我當然願意全力以赴地去做了，何況，這本來也是我喜歡做的事兒，並且還有一個小寶也睜着好奇的小眼睛在看着呢。

去年搬家前，Susan在橡樹園的女童子軍活動中，學過烤蘋果派。當時他們現場烤的都吃掉了，後來又烤了一批每人帶一個回家。我們家很隆重地品嘗了Susan他們的手藝，小寶吃得很香，爸爸大大地讚揚了一通，於是Susan說想以後給家裡烤蘋果派，我就趕緊跟那個負責人要了配方，不想一年後還真的起到了作用。我們在網上也查了配方，但是Susan還是覺得她用過的這個最好，主要是她覺得心裡有點數。但是，她非常高估了自己的能力，以為一、兩個小時的活兒，最後做了三個多小時，害得我直催她趕緊給我騰烤箱烤火雞。

話說我也是頭一次烤火雞，但是我從去年起就留意了烤火雞的方子，所以知道要提前三兩天把火雞弄回家，否則可能就來不及了。後來我在通讀了七、八個方子後，選了三個打印出來放在廚房裡。最後基本上把其中的兩個給揉合到一起，烤出來了令朋友們“驚艷”的火雞。開吃前Susan爸的發言，主要就是通告大家小哭頭一次烤整隻大火雞，如果不好吃的話，請放棄評價。為了給小哭保全面子，還特意講了一個笑話，意思就是火雞這東西怎麼烤也沒人會愛吃。不想等着男主人把切下來的一片片火雞肉送到孩子們的盤子裡後，小朋友們就開始喊“再來點！”幾個小寶那麼大的，完全是靠吃火雞肉吃飽的！吃完就下到地下室玩去了。而負責照顧孩子的Susan，為了再多吃幾口，急得手足無措地：）Susan在教會和朋友圈中，以最令人滿意的BABYSITTER著稱，有她帶孩子我基本上不用怎麼操心孩子們的事兒。

開場白是Susan爸講的，講完就請Susan介紹感恩節的來歷和幾個特色的傳統。我事先安排時，Susan有點不想發言，我給她帶了頂小高帽兒，她就同意了。我說你從小在新英格蘭地區長大，這方面的傳統了解得比較多，可是今天來賓中很多人並沒有你的那些經歷，所以給大家講解一下，幫忙做做好事兒也是盡主人之宜嘛。結果就成了Susan文中寫的那樣了：）如有冒犯，實非本意。不過想着六個家庭，那麼多的小朋友，加上確實也有朋友不清楚除了火雞之外，還有哪些傳統食物以及選用這些食物的來歷，所以她那樣說也可以接受。

Susan對魔術是越來越着迷了。第一個小學期的小電影之後，這個小學期的激情大作業她選的是變魔術，一天到晚有空就在YOUTUBE油管子上搜魔術視頻看。當初看阿朵講雙胞胎玩編皮筋時上網自學，我一下子就想到了Susan變魔術：）孩子內心有原動力，他們就會發揮出全部的潛力去學習。這種學習的能力真的會讓家長樂得合不攏嘴。管它現在是學什麼呢，這個自我提高的能力比什麼都令人欣慰。只是，有的時候Susan讓我覺得也很煩人，一天到晚都想表演給人看，不管家裡來了什麼客人，抓住人家就要表演。出去參加任何聚會，隨身都會帶上撲克牌，隨時準備表演：）這人要是着迷什麼事兒，可能都是這樣的。上個月在馬克的生日會上，Susan在馬克的美國家族中出了一把風頭；而這次的感恩節聚會，她似乎更覺得過癮：）有的時候她會自豪地說，這個大作業絕對會得A+：）

魔術表演時，我在廚房洗碗、洗盤，趁機和一個朋友聊天，所以什麼也沒看到。後來看了錄像和照片後，感覺確實如Susan所言，那場面完全被她控制住了。幾家的大人看得都很投入，主要是大家都想找到魔術的機關，可就是找不到！Susan爸告訴我最好笑的一個插曲，是一個挨着Susan、死盯着表演的阿姨，看了幾次、折騰了幾把，也找不到機關，不得不服之後，問Susan秘密到底在哪裡。Susan說我可以悄悄地告訴你，於是阿姨就把脖子伸了過來，Susan就湊上去，悄悄地說了句“是魔法It’s magic”。等到阿姨把答案公布給大家，現場頓時就笑翻了：）可惜這段沒錄下來。

我們六家一堆手機和相機，拍了半天，最後發現，竟然沒有一張火雞的標準照，這一點令大家都覺得不可思議，不過合影裡面有：）切火雞的過程照片也有，就是沒有切前最漂亮的標準照，太可惜了。所以當我在微信上曬幸福時，收到了“海內外”“老少爺們”“七姑八婆”們最多的一次留言，而且幾乎全部都是要求“上照片”和“求真相”，唉，我那個遺憾啊。

Susan爸前兩天說，孩子們長大後就只剩下我們倆在家過節了。我說也不一定那麼悲觀，孩子們長大後不回來過節看你，並不是說他們一定要遠離你，可能是他們有更想去的地方和選擇。如果我們家的傳統讓孩子們很留戀，也許他們會選擇帶上朋友和朋友的朋友和……，回家來過節。所以，咱們就努把力，把辦聚會弄成一個家庭傳統活動，把家裡弄得溫馨到他們覺得回家過節是第一選擇吧。

對了，Susan提到的客人們集體遲到的真相是這樣的——我的通知上寫的是：晚上五點開門迎客，六點開始吃飯，遲到的請打招呼。結果五家客人齊刷刷地在5:50pm至5.55pm到達：）

附上英文原文：

Thanksgiving Dinner

One of the worst things about not being born in the United States is the fact that my whole family is not born here either. Most of them are living in China. Only my mom, my dad, my brother, and I are living in the U.S. That’s a problem when family holidays, like Thanksgiving, comes around. The tradition is that the whole family gathers together for the turkey dinner, but since most of my family is a whole ocean away, my mom invited friends over instead.

On Thanksgiving day, the whole house was busy. I was busy making apple pie, my mom was busy baking the turkey, and my dad was cleaning up the house. We’ve never hosted a party that large-scaled and that important before. Thanksgiving is mainly an American holiday, and since we are Chinese, we have not had that much experience in celebrating Thanksgiving. Before that day, I have never baked apple pie on my own before, and my mom have never baked a tukey. It was challenging for everyone. I spent all morning making the pie from scratch, and by the time I was done, I was ready to go to bed again.

Thankfully, we got everything done before the party guests arrived. They all came half and hour late! I was so very anxious and excited during that half-hour. Finally, they got here, and I got even more excited! All of our guests were Chinese (except for one), and among them all, we were the ones who knew most about the American cultures of Thanksgiving. It felt strange to be introducing others to American culture, instead of the other way around. It made me feel happy, though, because I like helping people, and us hosting that party helped a lot of people, and made people happy.

Everyone brought some food to the party, and boy! Were they good! There were chicken wings, ribs, meat, potatoes, yummy vegtables, and a bunch of other stuff I don’t even recognize! Before dinner, I gave a small speech about the traditions of Thanksgiving, and about how it originated. Most of the people in the room probably didn’t know anything about the pilgrims or the Native Americans or any of that. It was an interesting way to start the night. My mom brought out the turkey she baked. It was really good! It tasted just like a store-bought turkey. Mark (the only American guy at the party) said it was better than most of the turkey’s he’s had at his family’s Thanksgiving dinners.

 After I got my food, I sort of wandered aimlessly around the house, checking up on how people were doing, dropping in on conversations here and there. The house was buzzing with voices, and I felt myself getting into a festive mood.

All the good stuff was going on downstairs. Upstairs (1^st floor) were the boring adults, talking to eachother about their kids (that’s the moms) or about their jobs (that’s the dads). Downstairs, in the basment, were all the kids and a few adults who were cool enough to be able to be down there. It was crazy down there! There were kids running around all over the place, screaming, shouting, laughing. Jack and another kid my age was also there. Jack is a really fun person, he was great with the kids. He probably helped out down there more thank I did. After a few minutes, the kids ran off into different groups, the girls with the girls, and boys with the boys, to play by themselves, and left us mostly alone.

With nothing to do, Mark, Jack’s dad, suggested I show them some magic tricks. I thought “Yes! Yes! I FINALLY get to show them my magic tricks!” I felt like sprinting up the stairs, grabbing my cards, doing a quick practice, and sprinting back down. Which was what I did.

I had been practicing for half an hour before the guests arrived. I was positive I was going to be performing some magic, so I made sure I had all my cards all set and ready. It didn’t take long for me to get back downstairs and show test out my new tricks. The tricks were alright. Not the best I could’ve done, but good enough. Mark was sufficiently amazed.

The next hour went slowly. Everyone was really full, nobody wanted to eat dessert. I’m not sure what happened upstairs, they probably just talked and talked through that whole hour. Downstairs, we just hung out and played some cards. I’m satisfied to say I won the last round. After losing all the other three games before. Jack and another guy that showed up at the party became fast friends. Jack’s a sophomore, the other guy’s in 6^th grade, and they’re almost the same height. Wow. The kids just ran around, playing by themselves. Occasionaly, a problem would arrise, and we would have to sort it out. I noticed a pattern there: all the of the problems were either caused by this little boy hurting someone, or someone hurting him. He’s trouble, that one. Fortunately, nothing too serious happened.

It was fun, just sitting down there, playing cards. I could finally relax after a day of anxiously preparing and waiting. I could finally enjoy the party. I wished that moment could go on forever. But, sadly, we all had to go upstairs to eat apple pie. None of us wanted to eat anymore. I didn’t want to eat pie either, even though I made it myself. I was really tired, but then, something made me cheer up immediately: a magic show!

I was going to perform some magic for the guests! For all of them, not just Mark and a few other people. All of them! Immediately, I no longer felt tired. Like last time, I sprinted up the stairs. But since it was going to be a full scale performance, I had to practice and make sure I’ve got everything right. Then, I casually walked down the stairs, waited for a few people to sit down, and started. The rest of the people (except for one or two) sat down after I did a few warm-ups. Alright, girl. I though. You’ve got this.

I was nervous. However, I made sure I looked confident. I was excited also. I’ve been practicing for so much, just for moments like those. First feat (I don’t want to use the word “trick” too much, because “trick” has a negative feeling to it): success. One person figured it out, but I wasn’t expecting anything less. It was just a simple warm-up. Second feat: success. Third: success. Fourth: success. Fifth: super-mega-success! That last one was the best one yet, and it was met with the satisfying sort of silence that follows bewildering magic tricks.

I think that performance was my best one yet. Not only were the tricks the best, my performance was the best also. They say half the magic of a magic show is in the way the magician shows his/her magic. Half the amazement’s in the show. That’s definitely true. I made sure the audience was always attentive and listen, and I made sure not to pile everything on them at once. Also, I made sure I didn’t tell them the secret, and that made the tricks way more magical. Definitely my best performance ever! Actually, I tell you the secret. Here’s the secret. Shhhh…come in closer, here’s the secret….it’s magic.

After that magic show, I felt a lot better, and when my dad brought out the apple pie, I was ready to try a slice. I was expecting it to taste sickeningly sweet, or really cinnamon-ish, or… I was just expecting it to be bad. Turned out it was really good! Really good! After all the activity and the bustle, I was craving something cold. The refrigerated apple pie was cold, fresh, and had just the right amount of sweetness. It tasted like the best pie I’ve ever had. Most people like it too. They were surprised I made it. I got a major confidence boost that night, first from the magic tricks, then from the apple pie. I think my mom did too, because the party went so well, and her turkey was great too.

At the end, Mark said the party was very good. He said it was “very American”, with the turkey and the apple pie. It’s a fine compliment, especially from someone who’s been to more Thanksgiving dinners than years I’ve been alive. We’re definitely doing this again next year! And hopefully, I would have more magic tricks to show!