I'm not sure this one qualifies as a Fuckwit but it's Thanksgiving across the pond. So here's a little feelgood thing that came out of a mix-up. To all my American friends, I wish I could have been there but thankfully, I'm on a diet so saved myself a shit load of calories but ate vicariously with you whilst chewing on a hard boiled egg and an apple. I loves yous all:
An Australian man has enjoyed his first Thanksgiving in the United States with a family he has never met before. James West had been receiving group emails from a family in Florida for three years, but they were intended for a different James West from the US.
After reading some of the emails and looking at the Tran's family photos, curiosity got the better of the young Sydney journalist.
Earlier this week, James decided to confess on YouTube that he was not the real James West, in the hope that they would invite him over for a real Thanksgiving dinner. "For the first few years I just kind of wrote it off, deleted all of [the emails], I thought it was spam," he says in the video "plea", which was posted on the internet a few days ago. "This video is to come clean to the Tran family and to say I'm sorry for perving on your Thanksgiving preparations for three years. But it's also a plea to the Tran family to say, can I come to Thanksgiving?"
They said yes, and the Sydneysider headed to West Palm Beach, Florida, for a Thanksgiving under very unusual circumstances.
Fran, who's one of the Trans, (haha Fran Tran!) 'It feels like you're already part of the family'.
"[It's] one that I'll definitely remember, that's for sure," he said.
And according to the Aussie James West, the real James West is "a champ". "He's just a regular dude living in Florida, loving the sun, running a surf shop, surfing a whole lot."
Aawwwwwwww
ReplyDelete;-)
funnnnny reports all day today BLEH
ReplyDeleteso the guy lies and then you invite him to dinner...and you never met him before...sounds like a great murder mystery
ReplyDeleteaha...well Helen, you will make it here one of these years for a great Thanksgiving feast.
ReplyDeletewhat a loser...
ReplyDeleteIt restores my faith in the average person. How kind of them to invite him. They look so nice as do the two James Wests. Nobody seems malicious and everyone seems to have had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I wish the entire world would operate on these tactics. Wouldn't that be sweet?
ReplyDeleteFun story...I am still chuckling about Fran Tran.
ReplyDeleteThat would make a great backdrop for a fiction piece...Agree with California Girl, too.
ReplyDelete'Tis a sweet story. Sometimes we need to read about something, well, sweet. And nice. And kind. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteWell, frankly, I'm a little amazed. Three years and then he comes clean and gets invited to dinner. It's quite heartwarming. Really. A total stranger taken in and being made a friend. I like it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit like blogland. Total strangers communicating and becoming friends.
A lovely feel-good story. I wonder if the trip to Florida will become a regular annual event?
ReplyDeletewhat River said. happy Christmas shopping days ahead, Baino dear!
ReplyDeleteWell, what a cheeky chappie, huh? But I guess he's probably harmless and seems kind of cute if you like 'in your face' cute. LOL!
ReplyDeleteHow very kind of the Trans to 'adopt' him! Must be a family with a huge heart and a sense of humour.
Especially Fran. ;)
I feel kind of guilty for saying that about Fran. I guess she's heard every joke on the subject that humankind can come up with, but if she hasn't changed her name, she must have learned to deal with it. You go, Fran Tran!!
Great story.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. "More front that John Martins" as my grandmother used to say. Now other retail frontages are much bigger than Johnnies, and so are people's affrontery, but guess it all went well due to generosity of spirit and the welcoming 'plan of Fran Tran'.
ReplyDeleteHey, he could have dropped in anywhere. It's a tradition to set an extra plate, in case someone comes by.
ReplyDeleteI think. -J
The balls on that guy! He's my new hero. A lot of people send e mails to another Katharine Hanley because they spell Katherine with an "e" instead of an "a" (like I do). I wonder if she'll ever come clean....
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving rocks. You have to be here sometime before my parents die and the whole meal goes down the drain. So, barring accidents, you've got, like, 20 more years to plan. :)
ReplyDeleteNice story make nicer because of the way you tell it Baino. In some family gatherings in Malaysia, we wouldn't even know who is who sometimes.
ReplyDeleteHello Baino, how are you. It is nice to hear your "banter" :) Fran Tran. Funny.