10 a.m., Thanksgiving day: the turkey was about to go in the oven. The pies were available for inspection. There were even cheese and garlic grits on the stove, thanks to a chef from Arkansas. But where were mom and dad, Aunt Gracie and Grandpa George?

Not in this kitchen. But although the feast was not prepared by your traditional family, it was still a traditional Thanksgiving--for the most part--at the Dudley Co-op. "Almost everybody cooked something," David C. Kessler '93-'94 said. "Thanksgiving is definitely about eating a lot. And we did that."

With Parliament playing in the background, Co-opers made sure there was enough vegetarian stuffing and mashed potatoes to go around--and they ate whatever they liked. "No one was hassling me. I could eat what I wanted," Emily A. Fenster '94 said.

They even had a festive, Thanksgiving-themed centerpiece, consisting of "The Gourd," a pumpkin, cloves of garlic, squash, pears, and candles. At 3 p.m., it was time to eat. "We didn't say a prayer or anything; we just started with `Let's Eat,'" Kessler said.

As the last rays of the afternoon sun shone through the window, the students became quiet. "We listened to `Alice's Restaurant' and got stoned on food," said Scott M. Finn `94. Then they watched "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." What, no Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? "Definitely not."

The main difference between a Thanksgiving at Dudley Co-op and Thanksgiving at home? "Besides the arguing? It was just so mellow," Finn said.

Some participants said it was even more like Thanksgiving than the ones they'd experienced at home. "It was more like the kind you see on TV--cozy," Tracey L. Carter '95 said. "In my family the grown-ups get drunk and go fishing."

Food, folks, and fun: what more could the Co-opers want? "We didn't feel a need to do or say anything," Finn summarized. "It was like all the best parts of Thanksgiving without the bad parts--good food and company without the stress and guilt that comes with going home," he explained.

Added Kessler, "There was definitely a groovy karma."