Why am I hungry on Thanksgiving?

So, for the second consecutive year, my wife, PJ and I went Black Friday shopping in Havre and escaped safely. We go mainly for the DVD’s, so shout out to all of the local merchants. We still love you.

I don’t know what makes people so aggressive. I’ve seen more people pushed by carts in that short 30 minute period than I have in my life. Maybe it was related to hunger.

As many know, certain stores start their sales at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. So we headed out on Thursday afternoon to get ready for the chaos that ensues at the DVD rack.

A lot happens in that 5-6 p.m. window. You see people getting in line as if they were bracing for a war. You see people strategically cutting other people in line with reckless abandonment. You see people messing around on their smart phones and every once in a while someone you know from around the Hi-Line stops to talk to you.

I also took notice of the various beef jerky products and canned fruit items right next to me, but I didn’t indulge because I don’t want to be “that guy.”

But yeah, last Thursday night was probably the only Thanksgiving in the history of my life that I did not eat 2,000 calories. Typically I can probably put down 2,500 calories at Thanksgiving dinner.

We did have dinner, but technically it occurred at lunch. By the time we were in the store waiting for the proverbial gun to go off, I was starving.

While my stomach was growling, the manager announced that it was time to kick off the Black Friday savings.

I’m sure elbows were thrown and people were definitely prodded along with shopping carts and by the time we were done racking up DVD’s we were ready to head out.

After we were out of the doors, I noticed that I forgot to address my stomach.

We drive down to Taco John’s, they were closed. McDonald’s was next and that was closed. I even considered Subway, but it was closed.

The same thing had happened last year, only last year we didn’t find anything to eat until we hit the gas station in Chinook. I thought maybe we would have another Thanksgiving miracle would happen, but it didn’t. They only had cold sandwiches, nachos and popcorn.

So next year, if we go shopping in Havre again on Thanksgiving, I am sneaking in a smoked turkey leg or two.