Thanksgiving

I'm a huge fan of the series Amazing Stories. I have loved the show since I was a kid. The episodes are intensely immersive and memorable. There are, however, exceptions to that experience. The episode "Thanksgiving" is one of those very rare boring episodes. Pretty much nothing happens in this episode. I'm not going to give away the whole plot like others have done (with no warning, of course). Basically, nothing happens. There is nothing in this episode to grab the viewer's attention, nothing to keep us invested in the story. It's just a big ol' bowl of boring. Add to that the ridiculous fake accents, and you've got a big fail of an episode here.

THANKSGIVING The other Reviews plus the Introduction highlight what this Amazing Story is about. Whilst I realise that this story is also about America's celebratory 'Thanksgiving' day, my Review 'shares' what I took away from the story rather than the movie itself.

Ever noticed the word 'Thanks-Giving' & how being 'Thankful' differentiates itself away from being a 'grateful' 'ingrate'?

Without being too hung-up on terminologies, 'Thanks-Giving' means that there is a rule that has to be established, and that rule is to be Thankful for what we already have and to be Thankful for what we are 'about to' receive - be it bad or good. We have to give Thanks for receiving it - be it bad or good - after we receive it, before we receive it & during the endurance & evaluation of ownership & receivership - ie: during its time with us. We have to 'Give' Thanks at all times for the 'thing' we receive/d -be it good or bad - a Thanks that honours & praises the 'powers-that-be'. This is 'The Law'.

When you operate within 'The Law' you now have 'permission' to place an 'Order' - ie: a way of being, doing & having, a way of receiving, a way to get more, a way which isn't alphabetical, numerical, or random, a way that has nothing to do with character, heart, love, luck or truth, a way that doesn't rely on religion, religious practices, language or any other 'man-made' fantasies.

It's no different to the 'world wide web'. There are certain procedures & protocols to follow if you want to place an order online. There are just simply rules to follow if you want to be, do & have.

If you're a visitor to a large complex building, park or town, there' s usually a map which highlights 'You Are Here'.

From where you are, you are expected to use the map - you don't have to, but you can navigate yourself around the complex. Likewise, 'Thanks-Giving' is an opportunity to navigate our way around the complexities of life. It acknowledges 'The Powers That Be', it evaluates the how, what, when, where, who & why you are here. That map provides you with a plethora of routes to get to where 'you' 'want' to be. You can 'choose' to be adventurous & go the long scenic route or go the shorter way round. You even have permission to take legal shortcuts. You can even choose to 'go wherever the wind blows you'. It's all your choice - providing you remain within the law of 'Thanks-Giving'.

Ironically, throughout the Amazing Story of 'Thanksgiving', I don't recall anyone ever saying 'Thanks/ThanQ/Thank You' - not even the 'hole people' as Dora calls them.

The 'hole people' didn't even answer Dora's questions of 'how are you/who are you'? That tells me that being 'Thankful' is not about saying it, it's about your presence of mind or state of consciousness. Are we really 'Thankful' for what we have or don't have? If we are, then why do we hanker after a substantial life changing Lottery Win? That's because most of us are not 'Thankful' for our 'Lot', we are just 'grateful' that our lives are better than others.

In this Amazing Story, Dora didn't beseech an 'unknown' god, or pray in the name of one representing god, she sourced the power of her strength, which was her dead mother's spirit.

In this Amazing Story, Dora 'Gave' the little she had. In the process of obeying her step father Calvin's orders, she still 'Fearlessly' committed herself & her time to the requests of 'the hole people'.

In this Amazing Story, Dora 'Gave' 'the hole people' portions of her meal, some meat/poultry, some of her 'pretty' things and her dictionary. She also 'carefully' packed an appropriate sized receptacle.

Meat was & still is the most valuable food commodity on the table or for trade - especially for poor families. The dictionary represents communication, intelligence & knowledge. Her pretty things represented Dora's beauty within. This was Dora's way of 'sharing'. In her dark simplistic world, Dora was open minded & open to other possibilities of existence within the 'darkness' of the well.

In this Amazing Story, Dora was more 'curious', about the 'hole people'. Notice - 'hole' people as in 'whole' people - ie: their existence is more wholesome or superior to human existence.

By contrast, Calvin - Dora's Stepfather, - a hard working man with some obvious good traits, a man prepared to go the extra mile when a situation presents itself. Whatever his motives & reasons, Calvin continued to nurture his step-daughter Dora, and continued to put to good use the situation he found himself in, long after Dora's mother died. Hence why he received 2 Gold Nuggets for one large torch that he accidentally 'gave' away. However, Calvin applied logic to his good traits. His skewered thinking thought if he 'gave' more torches, he would receive more gold nuggets. When it didn't pan out the way, he got angry & was ready to destroy the source of his affection - which is what destroyed him in the end. In other words, Calvin was not prepared to give up his lifestyle unless it had rich pickings for him.

Whatever it is that you believe in, whether or not you believe in the powers of: blessings & curses, being prepared or pre-prayered, education, the devil, god, good, Jesus, Lucifer, mediums & spiritualists, satan, the laws that govern mathematics & science etc, etc - one thing's for sure, you cannot get away with distant or quiet navigation.

You have to call out, scream out, shout out, speak out, be verbally loud & clear to the air or in the air. You can't get away with muttering to yourself, quiet prayer, solemn prayer in your head. Dora wanted to change aspects of her life. She calmly asked her dead mother's spirit to help them find water, but in desperation she 'Called Out' or 'Yelled Out' to her mama to make 'something' - 'anything' happen & that's just what happened in this Amazing Story.

Dora didn't get hung-up on the semantics of being specific and saying I want this, that & the other. She was angry with her step-father because he was mean to her. She was tempted to destroy him by cutting the rope that would see him disappear to the bottom of this obviously deep & dark well & presumably never be able to climb back up, but that's all it was 'temptation'. She never gave in to the temptation, but by asking for 'something' which can be 'anything', it gives glory to the 'powers-that-be', it honours the powers-that-be, it praises the powers-that-be & more significantly it trusts that that what the powers-that-be gives or grants you, will be the best & most longer term 'solution' to 'your situation'.

That's exactly what happened in this Amazing Story... Dora got many - as in 'multiple' any' 'some' 'things' that soothed her heart.

This "Amazing Stories" episode from season 2 called "Thanksgiving" is one that's interesting and entertaining and shows acts of kindness and good nature. It involves Calvin(the late David Carradine) who lives on a desert ranch with his stepdaughter a wanna be country music singer. And Calvin is mean and cold as after finding a hole on his property something is up is it a hideaway for gold? Only his stepdaughter finds that it is a want and need for food and she starts sending just that only to be rewarded in return! Overall clever and heartfelt and touching story of discovery and kindness.

Calvin (David Carradine) is a nasty guy living in the desert with his step-daughter (Kyra Sedgwick). He treats her rather poorly and berates her yet she seems blissfully happy despite this. One day, something really weird happens with the well Calvin is trying to dig. It turns out to be a much deeper hole and there is SOMETHING living down there. When he drops a flashlight down there, whoever or whatever is down there shows their gratitude by tying a small bundle to his rope. When he opens it, he finds it's full of gold!! Now the greedy Calvin is going to the store to buy LOTS of flashlights to send down into the hole! During his absence, the step-daughter sends down a dictionary and some ham. This time they include a note, in English, explaining that their scholars have deciphered their language and they are thanking them for the ham...and they want more food. They also include some very expensive jewelry. Next, she sends down some raw chickens. What's next?

"Thanksgiving" is unusual in that it's completely original, funny as well as creepy. Had the series had more shows like this one, no doubt it would have lasted much longer.