Guess who's coming for Thanksgiving?
Hint: he's got a big heart, a big laugh, a big voice, and a big appetite.
Yes, it's Uncle Mike from Harrodsburg, Kentucky, population 8,340. (A mountain of a man with a personality to match, he might have counted for two in the census.)
My side, the Fruccis, are all Boston Irish and Italian. Diana's family hails from west of the Appalachians. Uncle Mike is a limb grafted on the family tree. He's Diana's mother's twin sister's second husband.
Thanksgiving is about family with all their quirks and foibles. But I'm learning how to cope. Uncle Mike won't be saying grace this year. Last time, he infamously improvised a meandering blessing in his honeyed accent that lasted till just about Christmas. While we adults had our heads bowed, the kids furtively picked the turkey carcass clean. No fair!
Uncle Mike also happens to be a furniture connoisseur and a bargain-hunter, to boot. He just can't pass up a good deal. So while he says he's coming for the Big Feast, I suspect he's really here to loot our three stores of the finest items in inventory.
The tip-off? He's driving his pick-up truck to Boston. That's 1,000 miles and 15 hours at the wheel. I suspect we'll be loading a lot of furniture in the back for the trip home.
FCG employees at all three stores have been alerted to expect him. We've even declared an Uncle Mike Watch. Which won't be too much of a challenge since you can't miss the guy. He'll be the one swiping that steal of a sectional right from underneath you.
So if you're fretting about how to entertain your out-of-town guests, here's an idea. Bring them to Furniture Consignment Gallery after Thanksgiving. Let them test their mettle against Uncle Mike. Warning: if you do find an amazing piece of furniture, you might just have to wrestle him for it. May the best bargain-hunter win!
