Ride

Chapter 30- What a Feeling

Like the one with Bob and Darrell had been, the interview was quite emotional for both Fudge and Lightning. Talking about the challenging year that they'd had brought both of them to tears.

"That must've been very hard on you", Brent commented sympathetically at several points during the interview, including when Lightning described the accident and giving Fudge CPR and Fudge talked about the challenges she faced with her physical therapy.

The next stop was The Mel Dorado Show.

"Lightning McQueen!" Mel marvelled. "It's a true pleasure to finally have you on the show! Your conversation with Francesco Bernoulli is one of the most memorable moments in this show's history!"

Lightning and Fudge laughed as they remembered that. It wasn't exactly memorable for them, in comparison to everything that followed it.

When they recounted the story of their 2013 on The Mel Dorado Show, Mel made the same comment as Brent Mustangburger: "That must've been very hard on you."

"That must've been very hard on you" were words that Fudge and Lightning heard a lot over the next couple of weeks as they travelled around the country, which was pretty exciting for Fudge. She'd never been to New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Alaska or Hawaii before, but she was going to all of those places and she loved it (especially since now, she'd been to all fifty US states!). They appeared on dozens of talk shows to talk about the accident and the challenges they'd faced. With all of the travelling, talking to TV hosts and reporters, and sympathy, they were glad to return home to Radiator Springs just in time for Thanksgiving!

Normally on Thanksgiving, every single Radiator Springs resident had a job to do with dinner such as helping to prepare the food and washing up and the rule was if you don't help out, you don't eat, but that year, Fudge got out of hers. Every year, she was supposed to write up the menu and write the names on the place cards (to improve her handwriting, which wasn't great) while Ramone decorated them. However, she was asleep while that was going on. So, Lightning helped Ramone do that instead.

"Does that mean I don't get to eat?" Fudge wondered when Sally woke her up and told her that everything had been done without her, which meant not only could she not do her job, but she couldn't help anybody out with theirs. The Porsche's usual job was to help in the kitchen with Flo, Luigi and Guido. However, things were nearly wrapped up in the kitchen, so the two Italians had asked her to wake Fudge up, give her a bath and dress her.

"Of course not!" Sally assured her, running the bath. "You've been tired a lot lately and you needed a nap. That's not your fault."

The atmosphere in Radiator Springs on Thanksgiving was just as formal as the celebration dinner. Fudge was dressed in the green dress she got for her birthday again after she'd woken up from her nap and had a bath, all of the cars had had a car wash and most of them had new tyres and hubcaps again. Once again, the good china and crystal wineglasses were out and the candles were lit.

Everyone gathered around the table. Luigi insisted on sitting next to Lightning, so Ramone and Lightning had arranged them in this order: Lightning, Luigi, Fudge, Guido, Sarge, Fillmore, Sheriff, Lizzie, Red, Sally, Flo, Ramone, Mater.

"All right, everybody", Flo announced, "it's Thanksgiving, so you know the rules. No one eats anything until you've all said one thing you're thankful for. I'm sure with the eventful year we've had, you can all think of something."

They sure could. Here were some of the things the group said they were thankful for:

Sarge gave thanks for the strength that all of them had shown through a difficult year.