midwest thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving in the Midwest, November 2024. What's more American that that? [[English|indonesia]]

Your male cousin is older than you, so he asks if you've already found a romantic partner. [[Passive-aggressive|pernikahan1]] [[Be honest|sudah1]] [[Lie|waduh1]]

Your uncle is smoking outside the house. He asks you if you want to play football. [[Yes|iya1]] [[No|merokok1]]

You hug your little sister. She grew up so much while you were studying. [[Talk with your little sister|mau1]] [[Laugh|kenapa1]]

You congratulate your cousin on his third marriage. He is angry and has already drunk beer, but he's not allowed to punch you in front of his children. [[Leave|tempat1]] [[Laugh|tertawa2]]

He laughs. "I was already married when I was 19." [[Leave|tempat1]] [[Laugh|tertawa2]]

He's shocked. "Fine, but save it for marriage!" [[Leave|tempat1]] [[Laugh|tertawa2]]

You say that you'll play if you have enough spare time. Your uncle starts smoking. However, you do not smoke. [[Continue wandering|melakukan1]] [[Look at the house|bosan]]

You say that you can. Your uncle immediately calls over his kids. "Hey, let's play football!" Are you good at playing football? [[Yes|hebat1]] [[No|tidak1]]

After your cousin goes to play with another child, you walk closer to the house. [[Continue|masuk1]]

You accidentally kick your cousin in the face. Your cousin starts to cry. [[Apologize|minta1]]

You're very apologetic. Your uncle doesn't want to forgive you right now, but at least your cousin stopped crying. [[Feel ashamed|sekarang1]] [[Laugh at your cousin|tertawa3]]

You are certainly skilled at playing football. Because all of your cousins are younger than 10, you're the fastest. Do you want to throw the ball towards the goal? [[Yes, but not too skilled|uhoh1]] [[Yes, playing football is fun|mulai1]]

Nice! You kick the ball into the goal! However, your uncle suddenly falls because he threw his back out. Even though he's 50, he still thinks he's 30. [[Laugh|tertawa3]] [[Call for help|funfact1]]

The ball doesn't enter the goal, but actually hits your older cousin in the head. Before he can get mad at you, you flee. [[Continue|melakukan1]]

You're very embarrassed. [[Wander|berjalan1]]

You're bored. What do you want to do? [[Contemplate...|melakukan1]]

You laugh at him. He's suddenly very embarassed. [[Continue|tempat1]]

You laugh. Your uncle is mad at you. [[Feel ashamed|berjalan1]] [[Keep laughing|kenapa1]]

Why are you like this? [[Continue|pencapaian1]]

Achievement unlocked: You're a naughty child. [[Continue|melakukan1]]

You immediately want to go somewhere else. [[Continue|melakukan1]] [[Talk with your uncle|paman1]]

It's 3 PM right now, but the weather isn't too cold. What do you want to do? [[Enter the house|masuk1]] [[Contemplate some more|pikir1]]

You call for help. Your older sibling can help your uncle stand and go to the hospital. Your older sibling says that from now on, none of the family are allowed to continue playing football today. Fun fact: everything Thanksgiving, 1000 people in America go to the hospital for football-related injuries. [[Continue|melakukan1]]

"Hey, I want to play American football!" [[Play|iya1]]

The weather this Thursday is frigid. Right now, it's between autumn and winter. After you finished your last exam, you immediately left your campus. Your parents' house is far from South Pine University, but it's still reachable. Seeing the house is like meeting with an old friend. You see a few family members in front of the house. Who do you want to meet with? [[Cousin|sepupu1]] [[Uncle|paman1]] [[Little sister|adik1]]

The house is so crowded. The kitchen is on the left and the living room is on the right. If you want to continue walking, you immediately see the stairs leading to the basement. Beyond that is the side door. [[Help your family cook|membantu1]] [[Go to the basement|ruangbawah1]] [[Open the side door|door1]]

You think about your hometown. Even though you have only lived in another place for 4 months, many things have already changed. When you graduate, what will your hometown look like? [[Enter the house|masuk1]]

Where do you want to help? [[Kitchen|masakdirumah]] [[Outside|masakdiluar]]

You enter the basement. The carpet hasn't been changed out for decades. It's possible that multiple generations of owners have all stepped on the same carpet, which is okay since you all wear shoes inside the house anyway. Your younger cousins are screaming and desperately mashing buttons on their console controllers. The sounds of sci-fi gunshots ring out from the tinny TV speakers. Your dad almost threw the TV in the dump until he figured out it could be repurposed. A medium-sized dog with floppy ears rests in the corner next to a saggy leather couch. [[Play Halo with your cousins|mainhalo1]] [[Look for the dog|anjing1]]

The dog is sleeping soundly. The dog doesn't actually belong to your parents, but to one of your uncles. It has been given the responsibility of watching over your younger cousins. It opens an eye when it sees you approaching. [[Pet the dog||menyentuh1]] [[Play with the god||mainanjing]]

"You can't beat us!" yell your younger cousins. You shove one of them aside good-naturedly and take a controller. Do you choose to take mercy on them since they are half your age, or do you use your full gaming powers? [[I'll be nice||goeasy1]] [[They're annoying, I don't care||beat1]]

The dog's fur is coarse and scratchy, but its head and floppy ears are very soft to touch. You find time is slipping away the more you pet the dog's head. It flops across your lap, soon lapsing into sleep. [[Nap time||tidur1]]

You find an old tennis ball beneath the couch. Despite it being covered in dust, the dog perks up when it sees you holding it. You lightly toss it back and forth across the room, the dog eager to please you by picking it up and returning it to you every time. [[Pat the dog on the head||menyentuh1]] [[Dinner's ready||makanmalam]]

You deliberately move your character slowly, telegraphing every move such that your younger cousins see where you are from the TV's split-screen mode. "You're being too boring! Give us a real challenge!" says one of your cousins. [[Okay, you asked for it||beat1]] [[No, be nice||unsatisfied1]]

You shrug and play Halo again, applying your years of experience. Soon enough, you find a way to spawn-camp your cousins, and they start screaming. [[They asked for it||ragequit1]]

"No fair! No fair! You're cheating!" Your younger cousin throws a controller at your head, and you retaliate by keeping him in a headlock until he stops thrashing. Meanwhile, your other cousin is trying to bite your arms. The old dog in the corner barks loudly, scaring off your cousins. It's time to get dinner. [[Go eat!||makanmalam]]

Your cousins win against you over and over. "Good game?" you ask. "Yeah, whatever," they say, choosing to play without you. [[Dinner's ready||makanmalam]]

Using the back of the couch as a pillow, you fall asleep too. It's quite relaxing, and when you're woken by the dog jumping off your lap, you feel hungry. [[Dinner time||makanmalam]]

The kitchen is bustling with activity. Your aunts look somewhat surprised to see you wanting to help. Usually, you don't. The potatoes are almost done, as is the first turkey. "Make a salad," commands your aunt. She pushes you towards a table with ingredients on it. [[Go|midwestsalad1]]

You decide to cook outside. Your father has a giant pot of oil outside on the grass. There is a gas burner below it and a raw turkey on a card table. [[Prep|turkeygoreng1]]

Making a Midwest salad is a fine art. First, pick a fruit. [[Grapes|anggur1]] [[Apple cubes|apel1]] [[Orange slices|jeruk1]] [[Bell peppers|capsicum]]

Because you are majoring in CS, your father thinks you already know how to fry a turkey. "I think you'll be better at it than your old man." [[Continue|thaw1]]

Looks okay. Now, pick a carbohydrate. [[Pasta|pasta1]] [[Potatoes|potato1]] [[Pretzel sticks|pretzel]] [[Cake chunks|kue]]

Looks...okay. Pick another ingredient. [[Chocolate|cokelat]] [[Snickers bars|snickers]] [[Marshmallows|marshmallow]] [[Lettuce leaves|lettuce]]

Well, at least one person will eat it. Pick a dressing. It's the fundamental ingredient of a Midwest salad. [[Mayonnaise|mayonnaise]] [[Cool whip|coolwhip]] [[Cottage cheese|cottagecheese]] [[Cream cheese|creamcheese]]

Looks okay. Now, pick a carbohydrate. [[Pasta|pasta1]] [[Potatoes|potato1]] [[Pretzel sticks|pretzel]] [[Cake chunks|kue]]

Looks...okay. Pick another ingredient. [[Chocolate|cokelat]] [[Snickers bars|snickers]] [[Marshmallows|marshmallow]] [[Lettuce leaves|lettuce]]

All of the dressings look identical, so it's a wonder you managed to tell them apart. [[Mix together the salad|saladoutcome]]

The salad is surprisingly tasty. You're not a complete disappointment. [[Dinner time|makanmalam]]

The salad is mediocre. It will be eaten over the next few days as the better leftovers are eaten first. [[Dinner time|makanmalam]]

The salad isn't good, and I don't blame you. You must live in the Midwest for another twenty years to gain the skills of the Midwest salad cook. [[Dinner time|makanmalam]]

Nobody knows what this is. Not even the dog will eat it. [[Dinner time|makanmalam]]

you literally just made ambrosia salad

Dad gives you the reins. Do you wait for the turkey to thaw? [[Yes|thawalittle1]] [[No, I'm impatient|throwitinraw1]]

You want to chuck the frozen turkey in at full force. [[Disclaimer|yousure1]]

You wait a little bit. The ice on the turkey shrinks a little. [[Throw it in|throw1]] [[Wait some more|wait1]]

You decide to cook the turkey while you can. [[Throw|yousure1]] [[Gently place|fry]]

You really want to do this? [[I must|berbahaya]] [[Never mind|thawalittle1]]

With the hubris of a 19-year-old college student, you hurl the turkey into the oil. [[Continue|fryoutcome]]

You get third-degree burns all over your face and hands. Fun fact: 60 people get hospitalized every Thanksgiving due to deep-frying-turkey-related injuries. [[Restart|title]]

Fun fact: 5 people die every Thanksgiving due to injuries caused by deep frying a turkey. Sadly, you are one of them. [[Restart|title]]

You decide to wait another half an hour. [[Throw in the turkey now?|fry]] [[Wait even longer|wait2]]

You wait an hour. Your father went back inside for a smoke. [[Fry the bird now|fry]] [[Wait more|wastetheturkey1]]

The turkey is falling apart from being left out too long. You just wasted a perfectly good turkey.

The turkey goes into the pot with a sizzle. [[Continue|sizzleoutcome]]

You succeed and end up with a very greasy oily bird. At least nothing important got damaged. [[Eat|makanmalam]]

The grass, dry from autumn, ignites. The card table, the burner, and the turkey go up in flames. There is a bucket 2 meters away and a bucket 1 meter away. Both are full of liquid. [[Choose the bucket 2 meters away|water1]] [[Choose the bucket 1 meter away|oil1]] [[Put the lid on!|lid]]

You pour the bucket of cold water on the fire. Unfortunately, since this is a grease fire, you immediately make the situation worse. What will you do now? [[Run and leave your father to deal with it|coward]] [[Stay and fight the fire|firefight]]

You grab the bucket next to you and pour its contents on the fire. "You idiot! That's my bucket of frying oil!" your father yells while running away from the flames. "Go grab the other bucket!" [[Run|water1]]

You manage to put the lid on the pot. (set: $randomEndingIndex to (random: 1, 2)) (if: $randomEndingIndex is 1)[(goto: "fireisout")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 2)[(goto: "lidexplodes")]

With a bang, the lid flies off into the distance, likely killing a goose or two when it lands. Your father calls the fire department before anything happens to the house. Fun fact: 15,000,000 USD in property damage happens every Thanksgiving in America from the consequences of deep-frying a turkey. [[Oops.|makanmalam]]

The fire eventually dies down, and your house does not burn up. Your father is very nervous, however, because he'll have to explain the giant burnt patch on the yard to your mother. [[Eat|makanmalam]]

It's finally dinner time. Tired from your earlier adventures, you queue up with the others along two card tables put together. What meat will you choose first? [[Turkey|turkey]] [[Ham|ham]]

There are actually multiple turkeys because so many family members are visiting, meaning you can pick any part of the turkey you like. [[Breast|breast]] [[Leg|leg]] [[Wing|wing]]

You cut off a piece of the breast for yourself and put it on your paper plate. [[Hm|kering]]

With some effort, you twist off one of the legs and put it on your paper plate. Your aunt tells you that you don't have to be so polite, there's enough breast meat for everyone. [[Continue|oke1]]

Nobody else wants the wings, and the innards of the turkey have already been thrown out, so there are 3 pairs of wings waiting for you. You put a few on your paper plate, even if others give you strange looks. [[Continue|oke1]]

You decide to skip the turkey and instead go for a few slices of spiral-cut honey-glazed ham. This expedites your duration in the food queue. [[Continue|hammy1]]

You've made the classic Thanksgiving blunder. The meat is incredibly dry and you'll have to drink lots of extra water to be able to finish your piece. What side dish would you like first? [[Stuffing|stuffing]] [[Mashed potatoes|potatoes]] [[Sweet potato casserole|sweetpotato]] [[Midwest salad|yoursalad1]]

You get an award for picking the right option. Leg and wing meat are objectively better than breast meat, and you will not be dehydrated. What side dish would you like first? [[Stuffing|stuffing]] [[Mashed potatoes|potatoes]] [[Sweet potato casserole|sweetpotato]] [[Midwest salad|yoursalad1]]

Stuffing, a mixture of cornbread and who knows what else, pulled straight out of the turkey's body cavity. [[Continue|veggie]]

The mashed potatoes here are made with real potatoes and a lot of butter. [[Continue|veggie]]

It's a casserole of mashed sweet potatoes with toasted marshmallows on top. You just pick off the marshmallows and eat those, as does everyone else. [[Continue|veggie]]

You decide to have a big serving of Midwest salad. Midwest salads are interesting; the savory salads are the same as the dessert ones, but with the meat removed. [[Get more salad|yoursalad2]] [[Get something else|veggie]]

You take even more salad. It's a bizarre array of fruit, dressing, and...is that candy? [[Get something else|veggie]] [[Eat more Midwest salad|salad3]]

Casserole made with canned green beans (fresh if you want to be fancy), slathered with a cream sauce, and topped with lots of fried onions. This is the only vegetable served at Thanksgiving. Do you want it? [[Yes|yesveg]] [[No|noveg]]

Canned cranberry sauce, microwaved and smashed down into a paste. It's very sweet. [[Continue|dessert]]

Gravy, gravy, lots of gravy. Very savory, served with biscuits in the South. [[Continue|dessert]]

No matter what you do later, you get sick from eating so much Midwest salad. [[Continue|dessert]]

Pumpkin pie: the quintessential Thanksgiving dessert. And, like most pumpkin pies are, this pie tastes like slightly sweet mush and nothing else. You have bad taste. [[Go sit at the table||table1]]

If someone's truly American, they're said to be as American as apple pie (even though apple pie came from Germany). The pie tastes okay, but the apples are soggy. [[Go sit down||table1]]

If you chose pecan pie, you actually have good taste. Pecan pie is objectively the best dessert. The candied pecans on top of a rich bourbon-and-chocolate filling add a nice crunch. [[Go find a table to sit at||table1]]

You're about to sit down at the great big oak-wood table, but one of your aunts stops you. "You're nineteen," she says. "You belong to the kids' table." [[Listen to her||kidtable1]] [[Nineteen is an adult||youdont1]]

Begrudgingly listening to your aunt, you sit down at a plastic card table decked out with folding chairs. Your chair wobbles when you sit on it. Surrounding you are other young people banished to the kid table, from actual children to your 18-year old cousin. [[Eat dinner||skibidi1]]

You sit down in a wooden chair with woven wicker as the seat. The wicker splinters dig into your jeans when you lean back. [[Eat your meal||talk1]]

There are two types of forbidden talk at Thanksgiving. In the American Midwest, depending on the race of your family, these types of talk may vary. Inevitably, they will be addressed at some point. You are white and so is your family. There are two kinds of talk, which you may choose to address or ignore. [[Your uncle says something racist against Asians||rasis1]] [[Your cousin keeps trying to start an argument about politics||politik1]]

Yes, he says something racist about Asians. While some of the people in your generation stop eating and look at each other, others don't seem to think much of it. [[Tell him he's wrong||argue1]] [[Stay silent||ignore1]]

Your cousin disagrees with the newest policy. People shouldn't get handouts, he says. [[Agree||agree1]] [[Say nothing||ignore0]] [[Disagree||disagree1]]

You tell him it isn't true. He responds with something even more racist. [[Be quiet||ignore1]] [[Speak up!||argue2]]

"You don't know any respect. If you know what's good for you, shut up," your uncle says. The dinner table is silent except for your aunt, who's decided to pretend nothing is happening by bringing up the best way to make a Jucy Lucy. (culture note: a Jucy Lucy is a cheeseburger where the cheese is inside of the meat) [[Do what he tells you to||ignore1]] [[Why's he getting away with this stuff?||argue3]]

You tell him that it's 2024 and there's no excuse to be racist. He suddenly stands up, sending his chair tipping over backwards. Uh oh. [[Heads up!||fight1]]

Your uncle is trying to fight you. Your cousin tries to hold him back, but he's too powerful. It's a game of chance, with no time to think about the legal repercussions: dodge or fight back? [[Punch this guy||punch1]] [[Avoid this guy||avoid1]] [[AAAAAAAAAA||punched]]

You punch your uncle before he can punch you. He weighs twice as much as you, so punching him doesn't really do much besides make him even more mad. He sweeps everyone's plates off the table. A piece of pumpkin pie, pumpkin side down, forlornly seeps into the carpet. [[Run. Runrunrun||escape1]] [[Hit him again.||punch2]] [[Oh god what have I done||punched]]

65% of people on thanksgiving anticipate a family argument

uncle is too drunk to remember

Dinner remains awkward as the others laugh half-heartedly and fill the air with meaningless chatter about marriages and children and obnoxious coworkers. With your fork and knife, you finish your plate and tune out this conversation with Thanksgiving football TV announcements. The rest of dinner is otherwise uneventful. The younger ones are starting to fall asleep from all of the turkey, and so are you. While waiting for whoever's in your room to move out (probably a cousin or a random baby), you fall asleep on the couch. [[Average Thanksgiving||title]]

The conversation dries up quickly. Everyone else at the table except for your 18 year old cousin are only talking about Skibidi toilet, an animated video of a man sticking his head out of a toilet and singing the Skibidi song. Your 18 year old cousin is on his phone the whole time scrolling through bizarre Instagram reels. [[What a Thanksgiving.||indonesia]]

help grandma with her phone

You ignore these inflammatory remarks, no matter how much it digs under your skin. The balance between keeping the uncomfortable peace for a night and speaking for what's right is a fine balance. At least it's not 2025. [[Dinner is still awkward.||dinner5]]

Your Midwest Thanksgiving is cut short when your drunken uncle's fist slams into your face. You don't remember too much of it; apparently your head hit the table or something. Your phone landed on a piece of pumpkin pie. On the bright side, your father is driving you to the hospital. He tells you to sweep all of this under the rug. You might have to pay a few thousand dollars for someone to shine a flashlight in your eyes and tell you you're fine, and the hospital may be chasing you for months even after you've gotten it cleared with your parents' insurance, but at least you don't have to pay an extra three thousand dollars for an ambulance. The real Midwest Thanksgiving is the health industry that took your money along the way. [[Rerun?||title]]

Salads are a staple of the Midwest diet. (set: $randomEndingIndex to (random: 1, 4)) (if: $randomEndingIndex is 1)[(goto: "saladenak")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 2)[(goto: "lumayan1")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 3)[(goto: "disgusting")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 4)[(goto: "ultradisgusting")]

You're being very American with your love of danger. (set: $randomEndingIndex to (random: 1, 3)) (if: $randomEndingIndex is 1)[(goto: "cedera")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 2)[(goto: "meninggal")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 3)[(goto: "api")]

Don't try this at home. (set: $randomEndingIndex to (random: 1, 2)) (if: $randomEndingIndex is 1)[(goto: "end1")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 2)[(goto: "api")]

You attempt to outrun the fire, but the dry grass is not sympathetic towards you. (set: $randomEndingIndex to (random: 1, 2)) (if: $randomEndingIndex is 1)[(goto: "cedera")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 2)[(goto: "meninggal")]

You see the pot lid on another table and brave the flames to cover the pot. [[Hope|lid]]

The ham is always better than the turkey, so you made the right choice. What side dish would you like first? [[Stuffing|stuffing]] [[Mashed potatoes|potatoes]] [[Sweet potato casserole|sweetpotato]] [[Midwest salad|yoursalad1]]

You're eating slightly healthier than normal. Good on you. What sauce do you want on your other food? [[Cranberry sauce|cran]] [[Gravy|gravy]]

Fair enough. What sauce do you want on your other food? [[Cranberry sauce|cran]] [[Gravy|gravy]]

You're almost done. What dessert would you like? [[Pumpkin pie|labu]] [[Apple pie|applepie]] [[Pecan pie|pecan]]

(set: $randomEndingIndex to (random: 1, 2)) (if: $randomEndingIndex is 1)[(goto: "punch1")] (else-if: $randomEndingIndex is 2)[(goto: "punched")]

You avoid the punch. Your uncle, who had thrown all of his weight into it, falls forward onto the card table, which collapses in a sad heap of plastic and metal. Your cousin takes out their phone and starts recording. You feel a bit bad for your uncle. If he didn't have so much hate, maybe he could improve his life. It's 2024, just after the election, and you're still optimistic because you don't know what's yet to come. It is funny to see him face-down in a plate of gravy and dino nuggets. [[You win||title]]

You run past everyone, almost slipping on a piece of upended pumpkin pie. You find your car and stay there until your dad knocks on your window. You roll it down. He tosses you a can of Busch, keeping the Budweiser for himself. "So. You punched your uncle in the face." [[Yeah, it was wrong of me||regret1]] [[He deserved it||deserve1]]

The second punch connects, and your uncle is too drunk to notice it. "OUTSIDE!" Your mother harshly grabs your arm, which is unneeded considering your uncle has thrown a can of beer at you. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the timing of her intervention means her sweater catches 90% of the beer. The remaining 10% lands on the floor. You'd rather not stick around to see her rage. The last time anyone did something on this level, the fire department had to get them down. [[Run!||escape1]]

You can't remember the last time you cried, but you sure cry enough tears to make up for all of that time. You're supposed to be better than this. Dad pulls you out of the car. You feel like you're falling into a pit of shame. What kind of college student beats up their own uncle? "...That was a good hit," is all Dad says. With a can of Busch and fatherly approval, maybe Thanksgiving isn't so bad. [[menu||title]]

You feel what seems to be righteous anger coursing through you. A sip of Busch finally cools you down. "He was being a jerk." Your father looks at you for a while. "Just don't go punching anyone else." As the two of you go back to the house, you decide you might be able to get a part-time job as a club bouncer near campus. Just don't tell your parents. [[Menu||title]]

You nod and agree with him. The Pell Grant used to cover part of your tuition isn't a handout. [[Agree even more||agree2]]

The conversation isn't very conducive to harmonious discussion. An audible sniffling noise under the table catches your ear. The dog presses its cold nose against you, then tries warming you up by licking your hand. It sits down, tail waggling slightly, and gazes up at you through the cheap party store tablecloth. [[Dogs can't eat human food||no1]] [[It looks so hungry||food1]]

You point out that you're getting money from the government to pay for college, as much as filling out the giant stack of forms and unearthing your parents' complete financial history was a pain. "Oh, but that's different. You deserve it for working hard," your cousin says. [[Everyone else also works hard||disagree2]] [[Take the praise||agree2]]

It's not a handout if you're the one receiving it. Your logic isn't working out. Your aunt doesn't seem to think so, either, if her furrowed brow means anything. But you have someone who agrees with you, and perhaps that's all that matters to you during this holiday. [[Continue||dinner5]]

"Maybe, but that's different," your cousin says. "They're not like us." You take a bite of your meal. [[Who's 'they'?||disagree3]]

"You know. Them. The, uh, you know." Your aunt furrows her brow at your cousin and uncle. [[Stay silent||disagree4]]

Your cousin at least has the shame to be uncomfortable the longer the silence spans. He does not say another word around you for the rest of this Thanksgiving. [[He kind of deserved it||dinner5]]

You tell the dog it can't eat human food. The dog rests its head on your knee and dolefully stares at you with shiny eyes. [[Give it food||food1]] [[No||no2]]

You sigh and give the dog a bite of whatever meat is on your plate. You are rewarded with a few more hand licks for your troubles, and the dog shoves its head under your palm. [[Pet the dog||pet1]] [[PET THE DOG||pet2]]

You stroke the dog's silky ears while everyone else prattles on about their Thanksgiving. This is truly the most civilized conversation to be had during Thanksgiving. Things will be very different in a year, but the dog will be back the next year and the next, and the years after that until this is but a distant memory. Ending unlocked: Dog :) [[Restart||title]]

You pet the dog's head so vigorously that the dog stands up and whacks your cousin's shins with its wagging tail. He's mad at first, but he can't really do anything about a dog being happy. Thanksgiving would be easier if everyone was a dog. [[Restart||title]]

I understand. But it's Thanksgiving. One little bite can't hurt, right? [[No||no3]] [[Fine||food1]]

The dog eventually gives up and walks away with a whine. [[Continue||dinner5]]

You hear some scratching noises and open the side door. A fluffy, disgruntled cat strides in. "Hello," you say. "Mrow," it replies. [[Pet the cat|pet5]] [[Leave the cat be|leave10]]

You decide to leave the cat alone to survey its territory. The cat doesn't want to leave you alone, and so spends the next minute weaving itself around your legs and thoroughly coating your jeans in fur. [[Pet the cat|pet6]]

You reach towards the cat, but the cat thinks you're trying too hard. It toddles off to find a nice warm place to sleep. [[Dinner time|dinnercat]]

The cat is soft and warm despite time spent outside. It purrs. [[Pet the cat more|pet7]]

It's finally dinner time. Tired from your earlier adventures, you queue up with the others along two card tables put together. What meat will you choose first? [[Turkey|turkeycat]] [[Ham|hamcat]]

There are actually multiple turkeys because so many family members are visiting, meaning you can pick any part of the turkey you like. [[Breast|catone]] [[Leg|catone]] [[Wing|catone]]

You decide to skip the turkey and instead go for a few slices of spiral-cut honey-glazed ham. All is well as you keep your plate right next to the serving platter to avoid dropping anything. That is, until the dog yanks the slices from the serving fork and dashes over to where the cat is sitting. [[Guess you'll be having the turkey.|turkey]] [[Try again?|ham100]]

While you're agonizing over which part of the turkey to pick, it turns out your decision paralysis is no longer a problem. In a movement you've never seen before, the cat leaps at the turkey and sinks its teeth and claws in. Your aunts and uncles do their best to take the cat away, but all the cat leaves you with is a floor turkey with a few bite marks taken out of it. [[Floor turkey?|floorturkey]] [[Guess you'll be having the ham.|ham]]

You pick the turkey off the ground and shave a few slices off of the non-fuzzy side, to the horror of your aunts and uncles. You can take as long as you'd like to decide what part you want to eat, because only you and a few opportunistic relatives are willing to take their chances. [[Breast|breast]] [[Leg|leg]] [[Wing|wing]]

You grab another few slices of ham using the fork that might have a bit of dog slobber on it. Nobody else seems to notice when you set the fork back down, meaning everyone who picks ham from now on gets to use the dog fork. Get a side dish, dog fork user. [[Stuffing|stuffing]] [[Mashed potatoes|potatoes]] [[Sweet potato casserole|sweetpotato]] [[Midwest salad|yoursalad1]]

By now, your entire outfit is covered in cat fur. Your clothes are a higher percentage of cat fur than cloth. [[Go eat some dinner|dinnercat]]