I’ll never forget Thanksgiving, when Gloria, my mother-in-law, did something wrong that would change the way our family works for good. When she came to our house, it always caused trouble, but this time she went above and beyond.
When I was around Gloria, I always felt like I had to watch out. Her mean praise and constant meddling in my cooking were so common that they were told as stories in the family. However, she went to a whole new level with her pranks on this Thanksgiving.
When it was time to eat, Gloria showed off her “masterpiece”: a perfectly cooked turkey with a laminated picture of my face stuck to its breast. All eyes were on Gloria’s work, and the room went quiet. Gloria was beaming with pride as I felt my face burn with shame.
Gloria’s grin broke, and she looked like she wasn’t sure of herself for a moment. I told her she should share her “creative genius” with everyone with a sweet smile.
My friend Gloria had no idea that I had a plan to make her stunt go viral. I made a Facebook event called “Gloria’s Annual Turkey Roast” and posted the pictures I had taken after everyone had left. The title of the picture said, “Need a holiday table centrepiece? “Everyone is talking about Gloria’s unique “turkey pictures” this holiday season!”
There was a huge reaction. A lot of people commented and asked Gloria to make unique turkey centrepieces for their holiday parties. Even the people in her church group joined in, though they were more quiet about it.
Gloria had a lot of calls and texts by the next morning. She came to my door angry and red-faced and told me to take down the post. I just gave her a sweet smile and told her she should be thankful for the attention.
In the end, Gloria’s pranks turned into stories told around town. She was called “the turkey lady,” and even though she never said it, she behaved much better after that. For me, I learnt that getting back at someone is sometimes best when you do it with a smile.
