I screwed up.

I had a touch of carpal tunnel pain and overdid my exercise routine at the fitness club.

Now I can't use my right hand. I need help on anything that calls for right hand use.

Try brushing your teeth left handed, writing, eating oatmeal without dripping milk on the table or Cheerios that won't stay on the wobbly spoon.

I can't drive a car because all the knobs and handles are backward. I turn on the wipers and the headlights turn on dim.

I won't even try changing a toilet paper roll and I can't open a jar without first jamming it into my right armpit.

I tried combing my hair. No way, Jose, so I had to ask Elsbeth to comb it for me this morning. She combed it backward and then did not recognize me at the table.

How do you turn the page of the morning paper? I tried. You can't. So I just keep reading the same page.

Boring.

I gave up and studied a crow outside on a limb.

Don't even try to clean your fingernails with your Swiss army knife, Or peel a boiled egg.

I tried to blow my nose and never did get the hang of it. I am breathing out of one nostril as I write this with left hand pecking away.

I peeled an orange but had to use my teeth. My ears still smell like pulp.

Putting on my shoes (we planned on going to vote and Elsbeth said I could not go barefooted) I gave up and she tied to tie my laces. Trouble is her arthritis is in her left hand and we could not coordinate our good hands.

Fergeddaboutit

Son Mike Robinson is the only left handed of our eight children. He has been that way since he was a kid but now I see why his hair always looks like it is combed backward.

Poor kid.

FIRST THANKSGIVING for Elsbeth and me, she cooked a 28-pound turkey and served 24.

Kids, kids' friends, combined family and lonely neighbor kids. We extended a table out about 12 feet. We used boxes, hassocks, piano bench, campstools and toadstools.

Ken was on the end and fell off a stool after he ate his second piece of pumpkin pie.

This year daughter Carla invited us to dinner at her house. I offered to cook the turkey on a rotating spit in her outdoor grill on her balcony.

I did that once so I have experience. I had some trouble keeping the turkey balanced on the turning spit and it kept falling into the charcoal. It was okay but it did have a bit of grit.

She was touched at my offer but declined the help.

Nobody is perfect.

Meet Nathan Breaux

When this young man, 17, fixed lunch for us last week I asked him if he cooked our meal in addition to serving it and he said, "Yes, do you wish a touch of garlic in your Caesar salad?"

I said "just a touch".

Then I asked if he would be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for his family.

"Yep," he said. "I do most of the cooking."

This intrigued me. The boy is 17 and cooks the turkey, makes the salads, mashed potatoes, and brown gravy, makes the dressing and bakes the pumpkin pies.

I assume he has someone helping with washing dishes, pots and pans.

His efforts made his family and four guests, seven hungry people, very thankful for such a remarkable young man.

Nathan is a student at Federal Way's Todd Beamer High School and is in the culinary arts program at the Puget Sound Skills Center at the south end of the airport.

The lunch program is open to the public and students also earn college credits.

One day Nathan may be the Head Chef at the Hilton.