Stuffed to the T

San Francisco, California - T is for Turkey stuck in Traffic with Teary-eyed Travelers a Thanksgiving Thursday. At this time of year, Americans are getting together with their loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving with pedigreed turkeys. Yes, for an extra $10 more per pound, one gets to trace the family tree of the turkeys they are about to feast on. These documented turkeys are well fed in organic farms that allow them to roam free prior to their execution. In a culture where certification is another form of revenue, they have created turkey brains out of their citizens.

After roaming in San Francisco's International Airport for more than twelve hours waiting for my flight back to Cebu, I found nooks and crannies to nap in (so far the best place was in the aviation museum, just sit still as if you're part of the exhibit, and don't snore!); and places to sit and listen to people talk about their American dreams.

A Filipina who works as an airport maintenance crew tearfully laments, "Walang buhay dito, puro lang trabaho at pera." While another one was on the phone scheduling for a green card interview. In between coffee, they share personal stories of love lost and found, gender issues and domestic violence while living in the land of the free.

I finally came to understand the job hiring process in the States. As stated in most hiring notices, US companies do not practice discrimination of some sort. Take for instance, the basics on religion, race, age, and gender. Employers are not allowed to ask questions like how old prospective employees are or anything about their personal lives. As long as they can perform their job description, they are hired.

Are we talking about humans here? Or humans as robots? No wonder most Americans are so detached from their inner selves because they function based on the template they are molded from society. Most cannot handle, let alone express their feelings. Sure, Prozac works. Definitely, the turkeys are better way off these days due to the fact that some companies cared to find out about the turkeys' age, well being and probably the gender issue clarified in their certificates. Who knows, the turkey might come with stuffed green dollar bills.

My friends and I had our disbanding meal at Café Gratitude after which everyone went their separate ways. I thought it was appropriate for our thanksgiving celebration as we gobbled up each dish of raw vegan food and left the plates shiny, except for the words "What are you grateful for?" printed on the plate. I am grateful for the gift of meeting people in life changing situations. Celly told me on the way to the airport, "I am grateful I met you, Maddie. What is one month compared to 56 years of my life?" Well, Celly I wish we could spend one more day in San Francisco.

Fortunately, I got my wish as my flight was cancelled and my patience stretched for another three hours more before I was billeted into a business hotel. As always, I enjoyed listening to people share stories of going back home to the Philippines while putting their scheduled life in the US on hold. Really, one passenger was adept in figuring out the conversion rates of his vacation time into dollars!

I am thankful for new friends who opened the door to their homes and hearts for me to stay awhile and treated me as family. I am thankful for Philippine Airlines crew doing their best to accommodate whiny passengers as our plane was being fixed. I am thankful that we didn't have in-flight video entertainment as I've had the chance to be entertained by a group of politicians whose passion in boxing and gambling seem to mix like rum and coke. I am thankful for the bowls of mixed greens I gobbled up in the plane's galley while enjoying the crew's antics. I am so full! I just stuffed myself with unending gratitude! Try something new. Go tofurkey next year!