Here it is, Thanksgiving again. I can hardly believe its been a year since we've been here. It's always the same-the same place, the same people, even the smells from the delicious food are the same. The weather, it doesn't vary much either. But what would you expect from a November day in Mississippi? We gather around the table; grandpa says the blessing; the tradition of Thanksgiving dinner begins once again. There's Uncle Junior and Cousin Terry. And then there's cousin Randy. I look at him and I can hardly believe the truth. I'm the only one here who knows besides him. It all happened such a long time ago.

Cousin Randy is a big guy. He been big for as long as I can remember. He stands at six foot three inches tall, and weighs about two hundred and ten pounds. He is four years older than I am and has always been athletic; In high school, he played football, basketball, baseball and ran track. He likes to work out in the gym, too when he has the free time. The girls just love the color of his deep blue eyes and the way his blonde hair curls. But he also has a kind and compassionate heart, so he's easy to like. He would do anything to give somebody a helping hand. Maybe he's like that because of what happened.

I made my unbelievable discovery while we were younger, still in high school that is. I was staying with Randy and his parents, my Aunt and Uncle, for a few weeks one summer. My parents were on a business trip and Randy's family only lived about thirty minutes from us. Anyway, their house was big enough so that I had a room of my own, next to Randy's, almost as comfortable as my room at home.

Late one night I entered his room in search of my comb, but Randy wasn't there. The window was open and the wind pushed the curtains back and forth ever so slightly in the gentle breeze. I went to the window and stuck my head outside to see what was going on. Our rooms were on the second floor, and his window overlooked the front yard. Nothing seemed any different so I closed the window and looked around his room for a minute or two.

I was amazed at what I saw. I had never been in his room before, but it was full of awards and trophies. In the far corner was his bed, just an ordinary bed really. It had gold bedposts and a Dennis the Menace bedspread. Against the far wall, next to his bed, was his dresser. On it sat a few of his trophies, an old airplane model, his wallet, keys, and pocket change. His window was to the right of his dresser in another corner. Next to his window, on the following wall, was his closet, with sliding doors. His desk was by the closest wall and cluttered with papers and junk. Next to the closet was his prized trophy case. There were trophies, ribbons and awards for just about everything he had done. Next to that, on the wall with his desk, was the door. I took another glance around the room and left.

As I walked to the kitchen, I couldn't recall Randy saying anything about going somewhere. I grabbed some potato chips and a coke and headed for the couch in the den to watch a movie. After the movie, the news came on. I waited for the weather and the sports but a special was presented instead.

It was a special editorial with footage on superheroes. With all the super-powered people running around, how can you keep up with them? They said a new hero was seen this week and not much was known about him. They showed film clips of him saving some people from a fire that very night. I cut the T.V. off and headed to the bedroom, when out walked Randy! From his bedroom!

Now I know Randy wasn't in his bedroom two hours ago because I was in there. He couldn't have walked inside because the only way in is through the kitchen, and the den is between the kitchen and the bedrooms. He couldn't have walked past me without my noticing. So, he had to have gotten in another way. He smelled like smoke as he walked by. Where had he been? Why did he go? I thought to myself trying to answer these questions. Wait a minute! The window was open. But why would he crawl out the window? Maybe he's trying to hide something from everybody.

The next morning I woke early. Randy always gets up early to go running, so I wanted to snoop around his room even though I knew I shouldn't be. After he had gone, I crept into his room and shut the door behind me. What could he be hiding, I thought? I felt something telling me to go to the trophy case. Nothing seemed unusual. I noticed on one of the baseball trophies the player seemed to be losing his bat. I straightened it up and instantly heard a humming sound. It was coming from the closet. I opened the closet door and there hung a costume. I looked closely and noticed it was the costume of that new superhero they were discussing on the news last night. Was this some sort of joke? I laid the costume on the unmade bed and sat down in disbelief. Not Randy, I thought. Super powers?

The costume laying out and me sitting beside it startled Randy as he entered his room. He stammered at first then said, "You know." He told me how his doctor had said he was different because his father had been exposed to radiation before his birth. He said he slowly discovered more powers as he continued to work out. He made me swear not to ever say anything to anybody.

That was three and a half years ago and I still can't believe he's a superhero. He has become more popular as a superhero since then and he has done a lot of good. He even fights with a superhero team now and together they have put a lot of bad guys in jail.

Oh well, everyone has finished their meal and is ready to dessert now.

I wonder if Randy will ever tell anyone else about his super secret?

End