Lids flew off casseroles. Serving spoons dived in, breaking the perfectly-cooked surfaces. Rolls were tossed across the table, some completely missing their target. One hit a vase of flowers and knocked it over. Sam's grandma just laughed as she rose to wipe up the mess. Mounds of food were dumped onto dinner plates from all directions. All around her, various eating utensils plunged into the plated piles of food. When the proper utensil couldn't be found, fingers were an ample substitute.  
 
 
 


The barrage of smells, sounds, sights, and tastes overwhelmed Maggie. She sat frozen, fork in midair, not sure where to begin.

Maggie took her first bite. The orange mushy stuff she had started with seemed to be some sort of sweet potato concoction, pleasantly warm and sweet in her mouth.

She took another bite, this time of the cheesy vegetables with a crunchy golden brown crust.

She continued to sample the individual foods on her plate, careful not to eat too fast. Savoring the different tastes in her mouth. More potatoes, mashed this time. Homemade bread with strawberry preserves. Bread stuffing with wild rice and apricots. Mysterious pink fluff which tasted faintly of cranberries. Green beans with a different crunchy crust. Turkey, like she had never tasted turkey before.

Absorbed in the magic of her plate, she didn't notice the din that started to spread across the table. More...

1. you found our seats
2. "Our gracious Father..."