Throughout the center, there are games for school-aged kids, babysitting for parents who need a break, a video and gaming center, a movie room, bingo and cards for the older crowd, a 5K run at noon and plenty of other activities people can enjoy between trips to the buffet throughout the day.
I check the maps Bev's had printed. She really doesn't need anyone involved unless it's to provide another set of hands. I wander through the autumn themed activity rooms, admire the twelve foot chocolate turkey, and check out the set up for the dining hall.
Everything is perfect. Busy and noisy … but perfect.
By the time it opens, I've managed to eat a small Thanksgiving meal under the auspices of testing out the food. There's a crowd out front, and Bev's staff issues different colors of wristbands for everyone arriving to identify those over twenty one, those with kids in the daycare, and so on. The center is soon thrumming with activity.
"This is going to be a good year," my father says, arriving with the crowd. He beams as he looks around. "Where is Beverly?"
Looking around, I spot her near the hallway leading to the kitchens then point her out. Baba moves away to talk to her, and I make my rounds to greet people I know and meet new ones.
From the moment the doors open, my father and I are on our feet talking to people. Most of the kids know me from school visits, and their parents are always curious to meet the one-legged soldier their kids no doubt told them about. Teachers and business owners ask me to stop by and talk to their students or staff, while the service members seek me out to talk about the military and old war vets share war stories. The air of the event is cheerful and the food in steady supply.
By noon, it's packed. Baba takes a break around one with a table full of women his age on a field trip from their senior center. Surrounded by the fawning women, he's pretty content to stay put for a while.
Entertained, I snap pics to send Katya and grab a plate full of food to take a break. The moment I sit down, Todd appears, shyly holding hands with a cute little girl in a ponytail. He slides onto the bench across from me. He's grinning. It pleases me to see him happy after our rather awkward introduction about two weeks ago.
Following a quick introduction of the girl with him, he seems ready to fall into silence, albeit a chipper one.