Friday, November 21, 2008

An Annual Thanksgiving Tradition Over?

Greetings Readers

In the past month I have noticed that the Black Eyed Pea Restaurant that is located on Arapahoe Road has closed down. I am not sure when it officially closed it doors, but I happened to noticed in the past month that the Black Eyed Pea signage has been taken down and that there are no vehicles parked in the parking lot that I usually see vehicles in. All that is left is the Black Eyed Pea Color scheme on the building and the "for lease" signage that now adorns the empty building.

What that means now is that my annual traditional Thanksgiving ritual that I have been doing for the past ten years or so when I am in Colorado for Thanksgiving appears to be over. Over in a sense that I will probably never have another Thanksgiving dinner at Black Eyed Pea when alone on Thanksgiving Day in Denver.

This was a tradition that I started when I first found myself alone on Thanksgiving Day and I did not want to impose/get invited to a Thanksgiving gathering. In my view, not an opinion, I believe in Thanksgiving Day is for immediate family. I can not see myself at Friends, acquaintances for Thanksgiving Dinner. Granted, I may know the person really well to be invited to go over to their house for Thanksgiving, but I just do not feel comfortable being with others I may not know well, or at all.

I know it sounds kooky, crazy, weird, but that is how I feel about this particular Holiday. It is not that I would/desire to be alone on Thanksgiving Day, but I want others to feel good about their Thanksgiving and perhaps not fully enjoying their Thanksgiving due to me being at their Thanksgiving gathering. I am sure that it is okay with everyone, but with me I am not okay with that.

I am not sure if I have gone over my Thanksgiving Tradition when I am in Denver alone with you Readers, but I will once more. Basically, I go to the movie theatre and see a movie that I wanted to see or perhaps that was released that holiday weekend. After that I then treat myself to Black Eyed Pea since they usually have a Thanksgiving Dinner special that they serve. And that is that. Simple and I am okay with that - a movie and a dinner. No hassle. No worries if I am making anyone uncomfortable at some one's Thanksgiving Dinner.

Yes, I do get asked if I am staying in town for Thanksgiving or if I am going down to the Ranch to see my parents and have Thanksgiving with them. If I am staying in Colorado I usually get invited to one or two dinners, but I have always declined.

Although! Last year if I was in town I would have loved to gone to Bobbie Rae's Thanksgiving Dinner due to what transpired over there, but alas. It was not to be (you can check my blog history on that incident).

Anyway, I feel kind of "empty" or "sad" that Black Eyed Pea has closed just that location (or all of them?) down. For the future, I am going to have to find a new place to have my Thanksgiving Dinner at after my Thanksgiving movie tradition.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

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