Thanksgiving at Fort Scott

a reader sent me a note encouraging me to imagine what Halloween at Fort Scott would have looked like, but since I have been limited in my blogging time as of late, I missed that opportunity, so we will have to wait until next year for that one. But it got me to thinking of what Thanksgiving at Fort Scott would look like. So here goes....

Naturally, there would have to be at least a little bit of snow on the ground. This is a Currier and Ives kind of scene in my mind. The dinner would be laid out at the Boys Mess Hall. Luminaires would be placed all the way from the gatehouse to the circle lot behind the Boys Messhall. A large fire would be burning merrily on the hill overlooking the Boys pool.

Preparation would have started on the food early in the day. Tables would line the walls loaded with covered dishes of every imaginable type, and pies, cakes and cookies enough to feed an army. There would be table cloths on all of the tables and centerpieces with candles on each one. The air in the mess hall would be fragrant with the smell of turkey and dressing cooking.
The Leonard boys would be outside cooking deep fried turkey. The doors would be swinging open and shut constantly with our children running in and out, making new friends and playing tag in the darkness.

At 6:00 or so, we would all gather around these tables surrounded by our friends and family and quietly join hands. John Farmer would lead us in a prayer to thank God for all of our blessings and we would sit down to a meal that we would not soon forget. Afterwards Sue Carfagna or Tim Clossen, or someone else would get out a guitar and we would sing until the night got very late.

As I write this little story, it occurs to me that a blessing that we all might overlook is that we can imagine this very scene, and remember friends that we would like to include in it.

I just wonder now, why did this never happen for real?

Peace and Happy Thanksgiving everyone

Bob

10 Things..CIT Shack

Ten things I remember about the CIT shack are....

1. The porch was the second best porch in the whole boys camp. You could lean back in a chair and rest against the wall, with your feet up on the rail

2. The men from the riding staff loved to use our bathroom

3. The speakers from the boys lodge seemed to be pointed directly at my door.

4. Bobby, one of the other CITs during my stay could throw a lawn chair over the roof

5. The lights from cars coming into the parking area at night would always shine right through my door

6. Tom Beiting had a really cool bachelor pad on his end. We didnt go in there, and as a matter of fact, I am not sure that he was ever there very much.

7. Since it was so far away from the other cabins, we were spared the raid that year

8. It was a really cool cabin, because it was shaded even on the hotest days. However you had to walk really far to get a drink

9. There was a brand new riding trail they were breaking behind the cabin that led to the tennis courts

10. You could hear my stereo all the way to the mess hall. The kitchen guys told me this.


Bob