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Syd's
Adventure
The movie begins with one of Syd's dreams. She's driving in
the fog and cannot see. Her mother is suddenly there in the back seat, guiding her. She shows her a billboard with
a picture of the family, but Syd is missing. They arrive at the house, and they can barely fight their way through
a crowd to the door. Everyone is there - Bill and Hill, the Pope - it's the happening place. But when Syd gives
her name, they say she's not on the list; the police tell her she can't just come back after leaving everyone for
California and expect everything to be the way it was.
She awakens, and comes downstairs. The family is discussing their plans for Thanksgiving dinner, and she is assigned
dessert. Robbie makes a sarcastic joke about this meaning pies, not deserting everyone. The phone rings, and it's
her ex, Jerry. He has a client who's a famous child actor and he says the child has been disfigured in an accident;
he asks her to come operate right away, and she'll be back by the Monday before Thanksgiving. She agrees, and leaves.
When she arrives in Los Angeles, Jerry is waiting in her hotel room with the "child actor", who is in
his late teens and only has a small scar. The actor wants his entire profile changed, though, to look more "Keanu",
as he'll be screen-testing for a big role opposite "Gwyneth". Syd is disgusted that they have lied to
her about the situation, and leaves.
She has the hotel desk arrange for her to fly back, but she can't leave until the next day. A woman overhears their
conversation and says she's from Providence herself, but hasn't been back for a long time. She tells Syd she looks
familiar, and Syd introduces herself, telling this woman, Rose, that perhaps she knew her parents. Rose says she
does, though she can't remember their names. Rose invites her to dinner, and Syd accepts. During the meal, Rose
tells her that she is from a wealthy family and left home thirty years ago to move to California. Now her husband
is dead and her children are in Europe, so she's alone. Syd suggests she visit Providence again. When their dinner
is done, the woman says it's her treat, and asks Syd to wait while she runs to the ladies' room. The waiter brings
the bill, and tells Syd that the woman left out the side door.
Syd gets on her flight, which goes through Denver. She talks with the young woman next to her, Kathy, who is a
pre-med student. Kathy is going to spend Thanksgiving with her father, and her mother is upset about it. Syd relates,
saying her family is annoyed with her for being away in California and are really counting on her being back home
for Thanksgiving. They are snowed in Denver, and Syd and Kathy decide to take the suggestion of the ticket agent
and rent a car to go to Kansas City, where they can catch a flight. As they head towards the rental agencies, Syd
runs into Rose. Rose apologizes for leaving during dinner the previous evening, claiming a household emergency
had come up. Syd invites her to come along on their drive. The car rental agency only has one car left, which has
just arrived and hasn't been serviced yet; the ladies take their chances and take it.
As they drive towards Kansas City, they pass a woman stranded by the road. Rose tells Syd not to stop - she could
be dangerous. Syd and Kathy want to stop, though, and they find the woman's car is beyond hope. They offer her
a ride. This young woman, Vonda, has attitude, and isn't keen on "Granny" Rose. The four start off...
"Joan
of Bark"
A young girl approaches Joannie at the Barkery, and asks her
to sponsor her project: she provides Thanksgiving dinner treats to dogs at the shelter. The girl, Frances, has
already collected some contributions. Joannie agrees. They meet and figure that they can spend about $3 per dog,
and plan appetizers and a late night snack. Joannie comes up with the idea of cooking a ground turkey casserole
shaped like a dog biscuit for dinner. Frances tells Joannie that her parents divorced, and her mother has a new
husband and baby; she reveals that she is neglected at home.
Joannie visits the shelter with Frances, and the man in charge tells Joannie that Frances has been coming there
ever since she was knee-high, when her parents made her put her dog to sleep simply because they got tired of it
once it wasn't a pup anymore. Frances now visits the dogs who are to be put down, and gives them a last meal. Joannie
is saddened for Frances and the dogs. She and Frances later make the casserole together.
Robbie's
New Enterprise
At work, Robbie meets up with an old friend, Tommy, who arranges
historical re-enactments and is in town for a re-enactment of the first Thanksgiving, at the Gilbert Stuart museum.
He tells Robbie that it's a prosperous job, and he tips Robbie a $50. Robbie decides to pay him a visit later,
and asks if he can get in on the work - he's even willing to work for free just to get his foot in the door: he's
contemplating a career change. His friend takes him on to handle the catering, and Robbie immediately proves his
abilities. His friend decides to put him in charge of the whole production, and tells Robbie he'll actually be
late on the day of the re-enactment, but he knows Robbie can handle everything. If he does, he'll hire him for
more work. He gives Robbie a car as a bonus.
Jim
and Pete
Father Duffy drops off his dog, Pete, and wants Jim to give
him a thorough physical examination. He leaves him for the weekend. Jim finds the dog completely healthy, but doesn't
hear from Father Duffy on Monday. Jim takes Pete to the rectory, but Father Duffy doesn't recognize Pete or Jim.
The housekeeper tells Jim that Father Duffy has good and bad days, and has been worse lately because of the stress
of his impending move to a health care home in which his dog isn't allowed. Jim says he understands about Alzheimer's,
and he takes Pete back home for the time being. A new priest will be arriving the next day, and Jim will try to
find a new home for Pete.
Syd, meanwhile, is having quite an adventure with the three other women. Vonda is a former dancer from Vegas; she
has family back in Brooklyn, and she's on her way to see them, but she hasn't talked to them in ages and isn't
sure they'll be receptive towards her. When they stop at a diner, Vonda admits she can't help with the driving
because of an eye problem, which Syd tells her she had noticed. Rose offers to pay for their meal, and uses a personal
check. Meanwhile, Syd goes to the ladies' room and startles Vonda, who drops her purse, from which a syringe falls.
They start back on the road, but are pulled over by police, who arrest Rose (who goes by many aliases) for passing
bad checks. Syd and Kathy insist on going to the jail and bailing her out. Vonda doesn't understand why, and says
she won't spend her hard-earned money bailing out a dishonest stranger. Syd and Kathy go in, and Rose tells them
she's not wealthy; her husband died, and she has no family and no home. When she met Syd, she hadn't eaten in two
days. Vonda comes in, and has had a change of heart and posted bail for Rose herself. The two women realize they're
not as different as they had thought.
Along the way later, they stop at a country and western bar, and at Vonda's urging, they all dance. Vonda passes
out, and is taken to the hospital. Syd talks to her alone, and Vonda tells her that she is not a drug user. Syd
guesses that she has Multiple Sclerosis, and Vonda admits it's true: she was diagnosed with MS a year ago. She
hasn't told her family about this. She gets her medication, and they all leave.
That night, in the hotel room, Kathy goes out to use the payphone but takes the keys with her. The three other
women realize she has taken off with the car. The next morning, the police cannot help them find her, as they won't
press charges. Kathy calls them, though, and they go to her. She got an attack of the nerves, she says, because
she has never met her father, and her mother has urged her not to meet him, saying he abandoned them. She doesn't
know whom to believe. They encourage her to finish her trip and meet him, and they get ready to continue their
trip. Now the car has broken down, and Syd is beginning to get frustrated. Rose, however, fixes it, and they are
able to set off again.
Thanksgiving
Day
Joannie and Frances serve their meal to the dogs. Frances says
her family is going to her step-father's family and bringing her back leftovers, so Joannie invites her home. When
they get to the house, Frances helps with the turkey, and they talk about the dogs. Frances says that it's sad,
but dogs are put to sleep every day. Joannie decides no dogs will be put to sleep that day in their town...
Robbie arrives at the museum grounds the next day, and the caterers arrive, expecting their check for close to
$4000. Tommy is nowhere to be found, and Rob tries unsuccessfully to track him down at his meeting. As the hours
pass, the caterers become irate and Tommy's assistant tells Robbie that she has learned that Tommy checked out
of his hotel and left for the airport. Robbie is left responsible for paying for dinners for 200 people...
The new priest, Father Bell, pays a visit to Jim. Father Duffy is missing. Jim checks in later at the rectory,
and they are still unable to find him. Jim suggests they check near the pond, where he always walked Pete. They
hunt everywhere, with no sign of him, until Pete eventually finds him. Father Duffy is lucid this time, and explains
that he has been so worried about Pete since he can't take him along to the nursing home. Father Bell invites him
to continue living at the rectory. Jim invites both men home to dinner.
Thanksgiving
Dinner
Jim and the priests arrive to find Joannie and Frances with
eight dogs from the shelter. Joannie burnt the turkey, but the dogs are amazingly well-behaved.
Robbie arrives, and says he too has brought home some guests: about 200. "Pilgrims" and "Indians"
pour into the house.
Syd, Rose and Vonda drop off Kathy at her father's; her father welcomes her into the house, and appears glad to
see her. Vonda has called her family, but they did not get along. Syd invites Rose and Vonda to come back home
with her and stay the night. They arrive at the Hansen's, and are greeted by Frances, who is clearly in charge.
The house is full of activity, and Syd finds her family in the kitchen. They all catch up with one another's events
of the last few days, and decide they have managed to start a new Thanksgiving tradition.
Syd dreams of her mother that night. Her mother complains that the holiday was disorganized and stressful, but
one thing is right: she points out the window at a billboard picture of the family, and Syd is back in the picture.
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