Ah, Thanksgiving. An entire day, nay, weekend, when the whole country takes time to stop and not only smell the roses, but to thank the gardener, spend time with family, think of where all your good fortune comes from, and appreciate what we have here in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

For most people. But, of course, there are exceptions to that rule. There are those who don’t feel particularly thankful just because it is the last Thursday in November. Those who generally don’t feel thankful on any Thursday, for that matter. They are usually called pessimists, but I am sure they find themselves to simply be realists. I say ‘they’ because I, for whatever reason, do not include myself in this group, whether I should or not is debatable, I suppose.

And what makes a person a pessimist? How do you know one when you see them? Why, by comparing them to an optimist. A sunny person, who always has a smile, who, in reply to “how are you” doesn’t say “fine, thank you” but “I’m great!” Their glass isn’t just half-full, its overflowing, it is self-filling, they will never need water again! You know the type, you are nodding your head right now with someone in mind.

And, let’s face it, these people can be really annoying. They love their jobs, they are thrilled about their families, no bad hair days, they are just so grateful to have hair! Their co-workers are like family, their friends are unfailingly supportive, their pets are just the cutest things.

Optimists never complain (the downturn in the economy seems to have somehow made their financial situation improve), never get depressed (why dwell on what you can’t change, think about the positive), never have issues (they deal with stress by exercising or meditating). All of which, of course, makes them depressing.

After talking to a self-proclaimed optimist, one usually feels somehow detached, disappointed, disillusioned. Such a ostentatious display of sweetness causes a toothache. Because you know, somehow, that this bearer of goodwill does not, could not, have it as good as they claim.

No one has that much good luck. Or at least you hope not, since you sure don’t. If this guy has enough great things going for him to make him that happy, he must have either a different idea of what is wonderful, or maybe he is getting your share of the good stuff. Whatever the reason, he gets on your nerves.

Just once, I would love to hear a negative thought from one of these people. Anything, from a complaint about the line at the grocery store to fear of the swine flu to expressing doubt that our leaders are always doing what is in the best interests of the country. Talk about your neighbors, for goodness sake, or your boss or your brother-in-law. Never having a bad word to say to anyone is just boring, face it. Simply admit your spouse isn’t perfect or that your house isn’t spotless, that some stuff just gets on your nerves.

Get real.

I bring this up at Thanksgiving because the issue was brought up at our Thanksgiving table last year. We were doing the annual obligatory “what are you thankful for” round table discussion, and one family member (who will remain nameless, but who is my older sister) said, “Well, I’m not really thankful for anything this year, to be honest. It’s not been a great year, and so I’m just going to say it - I’m tired of being upbeat and focusing on the positive. I’m tired of being thankful for electricity and whatnot.”

Which typifies how some people really feel, if the truth be known. Those people who say they are always grateful cannot be grateful all the time, I just don’t believe it. You can’t be thankful for everything that happens to you, because everything isn’t good. Your dog dies, you have a flat, you bounce a check. These are not things to be grateful for, and they happen to everyone. Even the optimists. Even at Thanksgiving.

So when you encounter someone with a chronic sunny disposition, whose motto seems to be ‘no worries,’ who keeps on that sunny side of life, don’t feel bad if you do have worries and sometimes (or all of the time) find yourself on the gloomy side of life. After all, there are not entire books written about the wit of happy people, unless you count those revolting “Chicken Soup for the Underwater Basketweaver’s Soul” books. But there are several “Curmudgeon” books that are hilarious.

My frown is not upside down, its supposed to be that way. It’s funner.