A Very Crazy Thanksgiving


Jean, a dedicated scientist, found herself facing the need to go into the lab the day after a particularly chaotic Thanksgiving dinner with her eccentric family. Despite the tryptophan-induced drowsiness and the lingering aroma of turkey, she decided it was time to head back to her lab.

The previous evening’s Thanksgiving gathering had been a whirlwind of laughter, clashing personalities, and an abundance of mashed potatoes. Jean’s family was a colorful cast of characters, each member contributing their own unique brand of pandemonium to the festivities. Jean enjoyed having everyone over. But, it was a challenge as nothing came without some sort of judgment or criticism.   A few people stayed overnight making it difficult for her to get some much needed alone time.  However, she had set up some experiments that required her attention Friday morning.  

As she tiptoed around the house in the early morning, Jean didn’t know if she should chuckle or get angry at the memory of Aunt Mildred’s impassioned monologue about the importance of cranberry sauce and her fathers-in-law observation that maybe being a working mother was not best for her young children.  

Amidst the leftover pumpkin pie and stuffing, Jean slipped away, leaving behind the remnants of Thanksgiving. She did indeed feel a strange mix of amusement and exhaustion but knew her work in the lab called for her undivided attention.

Upon arriving at the lab, she was greeted by the hum of fluorescent lights and the familiar scent of media. Jean, fueled by caffeine and a determination to escape the post-Thanksgiving madness, dove into her experiments.

However, the effects of the previous night’s festivities lingered. She couldn’t shake the mental images of her family’s antics. In the midst of pipetting and measuring, she found herself shaking her head at the thought of her mom criticizing something so simple as placing marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes.

As the day unfolded, Jean found solace in the routine of her experiments, the absurdity of her family’s Thanksgiving escapades providing a humorous backdrop to her scientific endeavors. In the end, she realized that even amid the craziness of family gatherings, there was a unique kind of joy that could be carried into the world of pipettes and test tubes. And so, with a heart full of laughter and a touch of Thanksgiving spirit, Jean continued her work, proving that sometimes, the best antidote to post-holiday chaos is a good dose of data collection in the laboratory.