"G-O-F-E-R-S." Vobble laboriously wrote on a slip of paper. He then folded it, set it aside and picked up another. "V-O-L-L-S," he said as he wrote. He picked up another slip. "F-R-I-N-D-S." Then another. "A-D-V-I-N-C-H-E-R-S."

"Vobble? What in the world are you doing? And, surely, you can spell better than that!" Vinky stomped her foot in consternation.

Vobble looked up, quite unperturbed. "I'm being thankful. I saw this show on the Dude's TV and they said that since Thanksgiving is coming soon, everyone should write down all the things they're thankful for and then put them in a jar or box or something. Then you're supposed to pull one out each day and think all day about it and how special it is to you. So, I'm writing down the things I'm thankful for, but I'm running out of things."

"Did I hear MY name mentioned there? Or the Dude? or Zorro? Do you have us in your list?"

"Oh! Thanks, Vinks. V-I-N-K-Y. Z-O-R-O. D-O-O-D. K-I-L-E. R-O-K-K-Y."

Vinky threw her arms up in disgust and said, "Oh, I give up." She stomped to her corner and sat. She began to think. "You know, the little twerp has a good idea, even if he can't spell. I think I'll make a list, too. Let's see…I'll start with L-…

Love from my fellow creatures. Hmm—I really like that one. I am so amazing and terrific. Maybe i should quit whilst i am ahead but…no, i shall proceed with my perfect spelling and phraseology. Let me see…ok…I am thankful for my beautifully decorated box…and my brother too, even if i am brighter than he."

"Hmmm, hmmmm." Vobble heard Vinky and decided he had better not let her get away that smarty pants stuff so he pushed his pencil off the paper and dashed out to the porch.

Outside he could see some little mounds protruding from under the box. He flew down to see what was happening under the earth.

"Sniff Sniff Sniff," and "Snifffffff!" Vobs didn't know where the sound was coming from. He put his ear to the ground…then out popped…

a large jar with slips of paper inside of it. Vobble looked right and left to see if anyone was around. Since he saw no one, he decided to open up the jar and explore the contents. As he began to read the individual messages, he began to feel a warm, good feeling inside. There was a tear flowing down one of his cheeks.

"So maybe these messages have something to do with Thanksgiving. I really did not understand the word or what it meant. But now, …

now I think I do. I've got lots more things to add to my list. I'm thankful for CC and her cafe and her treats and for flying and for horks and for rocket ships. Oh there's too much. I've got to write these down. Vobble flew back to the box.

When Vobble got back to the box he once again decided to think about his blessings, and he asked Vinky if she had written anything down. She had started to think about what she was grateful for and she came up with all the great treats CC fixes, all the wonderful travels Dude has facilitated with his wonderful imagination, and the many mice they have for a good meal.

She said she was also very grateful for all her wonderful friends like Dude and Mrs. Dude. Vobble once again felt a tear running down his cheek as he…

started walking around their place. "I'm very thankful for all we have. These two leggers had a good thing going with this holiday of giving thanks. And all the food and friends. Sometimes it makes me think the two-leggers have a bigger brain than us. Well…but everyone knows we are the wisest. Hmmmm…I better check on the Dude. he could use my smarts about now. Poor two-leggers," he thought, then he…

sat there thinking, he got very still and started to doze off. Suddenly he felt like he was moving and bouncing around! He found himself in a small bucket at the top of a mast on a very old, wooden boat.

"Oh my!" said Vobble! "Where am I?" He looked down and there were men in funny suits and hats with three corners and the man in charge was yelling orders with a parrot sitting on his shoulder.

"I'm out on the ocean!" he cried! "I'm not sure I like this! I would rather be in my box!" As he was looking down, the parrot looked up and saw him peering over the side of the bucket. The parrot decided to fly up there and see what was going on. "Ahoy, mate!" said the parrot. Vobble…

had never seen a parrot before, so he did a double-take, and then, remembering his manners, said, "Hello, my name is Vobble. What's your name?"

"My name is Buccaneer. I'm a parrot," the colorful bird replied.

"I can see that this is a ship," said Vobble, "but can you tell me who's on it, where it's going, and why?"

"Why, this is the Mayflower. It's going to the Massachusetts colony in America, carrying people called pilgrims who want to live there," Buccaneer replied.

Vobble was flabbergasted! "Well, I have no idea how I got here, but I guess I might as well go with it," he thought to himself. So he said, "Can you tell me how long until we expect to arrive?" Buccaneer said "The cap'n says any day now. Birds have been showing up, like you did, and that means land is nearby." Just then…

"Hmm?" Vobble wondered. "What on earth do we eat there?"

Buccaneer said, "Well, I hope there are nuts and seeds and berries and fruits."

Vobble replied, "Oh my goodness! I hope there are tons of rodentia for me."

They were beginning to get hungry when all of a sudden a rogue wave shook the boat from stem to stern.

It caught them broadside and water was pouring over the deck. Buccaneer turned from yellow and green and red to an ashen gray color. Vobbles screeched at the top of his lungs. But then he felt someone shaking him. It was Vinky!!!

"Wake up!!! Why are you shrieking like a banshee?"

Vobble shook his head and opened his eyes and found himself safe in the box.

"Yay! I am even more thankful now," he cried.

"But Vinks, I want to know what happened. I had a friend in my dream. Buccaneer. My guide and BFF."

"Oh Vobble, you don't really want to know, do you?" she asked.

And Vobble shook his head. "I do Vinks. I really do. I want to know that Buccaneer made it safely through that stormy sea."

And Vobble began to cry...and to shake and yes, you guessed it, to SOB! Uncontrollably. Vinky was now frightened for him.

"Ok, OK, Vobs. I get it. Here. Have this little ratticus and when you are full, lay down and take another nap."

And so it happend, that Vobble ate and grew sleepy and began to drift to sleep and saw in his dream…

that the ship had landed and all the crew, including himself and Buccaneer were on the land scouring the territory. After a few days of searching the area for food, drink and a place to build shelter, they came upon a group of people who looked different than themselves.

Vobble whispered to Buccaneer, "Who are they?"

Well, Miles Standish, the leader of the group, approached the leader on this land. The two men began to communicate using their hands and facial expressions. Days passed and the two groups began to learn from each other—how to grow certain food, how to make clothing from animals, etc. The people were very busy farming, establishing homes, surveying the land. The harvest came in and all were pleased.

So…

they decided to have a great feast. They picked two to be in charge—Miss Patience and She Who Talks A Lot. They made Rabbit, Turkey, Deer, Corn Bread, Gopher Stuffing, Snake Gravy, Green Beans, Owl Pumpkin Pie and and Gophers and Oysters.

Vobble thought that, with such a huge feast, maybe he'd walk-about, no fly-about would be adequate. He started to walk and flap his wings, but nothing. He couldn't take off. He tried again and again. Then he heard all the folks laughing and laughing. They wouldn't stop. They got right in his face…laughing…louder…and louder. Then with a great shiver he awoke to see…

Vinky and the others laughing at HIM! "Vobble, you were dreaming again! Were you trying to fly somewhere?"

"I was trying to walk, but my feet wouldn't move!" said Vobble. "I was dreaming about the first Thanksgiving feast and I think I ate way too much! I am sooooo glad to see that I am home safe and sound!"

He told Vinky all about his dream and the feast and the things that happened.

"Wow!" said Vinky, "you really were right there with the pilgrims and the Indians!"

"Yes", said Vobble, "and now I know how blessed we are with what we have here now!" I think we need to…

share our lists of things we're thankful for with all the people we share Thanksgiving with! And that includes each other and everybody who helped build this county a long time ago! And so it was. Everyone wore pilgrim or Indian or turkey hats and ate mounded plates of delicious food. And then, when no one could eat even one more bite,…

Vobble stood and began to talk. He asked everyone to go home and write down all the things they were thankful for.

He and Vinky headed back to the owl box and started writing. Soon, Vinky held out a little jar overflowing with small slips of paper. She said, "My jar's not big enough. I need something bigger."

Vobble looked around. He thought of all he'd seen in his dream and how hard his friends had had to work to survive. He looked at his warm and comfy gag shag and his cozy gofer sofer. He thought about his friends and how much they all cared for each other. He thought about the abundance of food when he and Vinky wanted to hunt and the abundance of treats from CC when they didn't want to hunt. Another little tear came to his eye.

He turned to Vinky and said, "There's no way one little jar could hold all our blessings. Just look at us and all we have. We're warm and comfy and always have plenty to eat. We've got friends and family always around us. And we have each other. I was going to get a coffee can from the Dude to hold my blessings, but I don't think that would be big enough either. I've got enough to fill this whole box and then some! Vinky! We live in a thankful box!"

Vinky grinned. "Vobs, you just spoke volumes. We do indeed live in a Thankful Box. It's just overflowing with blessings and we're right in the middle of it! Happy Thanksgiving, Little Brother. I love you."

The End