Tag Archives: toikeys

There’s Always One

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As Thanksgiving approaches, the neighborhood gang is out in force.

They do it every year; a kind of ongoing, silent (usually) demonstration of solidarity with their domesticated brethren.
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Not everyone is with the program, though. Did you notice Tom? Here’s a better look as they continued down the street.
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Yeah, up there at the top of the picture. There’s always one guy who goes his own way.

Maybe Tom is in a world of his own. Maybe he figures he’s got enough problems of his own, staying out of the jaws of the local coyotes; who cares what happens to a bunch of domestic turkeys he’s never met? Or maybe he’s a Wild Supremacist, actively promoting the elimination of lesser sub-species.

Regardless of his motivations, he does eventually join back up with the rest of the gang.
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At which point, of course, they all give him the ol’ hairy eyeball and break the silence of the march. As best I can tell–I’ve forgotten most of the Turkeyish I learned in school–the commentary boils down to something like, “Geez, Tom, you are such an effin’ turkey!”

To which Tom, of course, replies maturely, “Takes one to know one, guys.”

The Epitome of Cool Under Pressure

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Thanksgiving is a week away, a time when the Universe really is out to get you. Assuming you’re a turkey, that is. And yet our local flock remains blissfully paranoia-free.
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They continue to roam the streets, staring down–sometimes even blocking–cars and terrorizing the local canines.

According to my sources, the flock is larger than it’s ever been. No doubt that gives them a sense of invulnerability. We’ll see if they still feel the same this time next week…

Weather Coming

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We were supposed to get the first rain of the year Thursday. Not just any rain, but the beginning of several days of storms, accompanied by wind gusting up to sixty mph.

While we were checking to be sure we had imaginary gas for our non-existent backup generator (the one we don’t have and thus can’t use when the power goes out), the neighbors made it clear they weren’t worried.

The turkeys left their galoshes at home.
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And the cats didn’t bring umbrellas to the backyard bowl at dinner time.
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Why should anyone worry? It was blue skies and temperatures in the sixties all day. So naturally the feline politics went on as usual.
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Hopefully everyone has someplace dry to hole up. For those of you east of the Rockies, I’ll add “warm” to the wish list.

Hi-Ho Bugeater!

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It’s been a while since I talked about the neighborhood turkeys.

They’re still around, but they’ve been less noticeable lately. I think the Toikey de Tutti Toikeys ordered them to back off a little in the name of community relations.

They don’t seem to be traveling in large flocks, filling the street and arguing with drivers as much as they used to. Instead, we get scenes like this:
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Yup, it’s the Lone Turkey.

The Lone Turkey isn’t any less aggressive than the flocks were. It took him a good five minutes to cross the street, including a brief stare-down with a driver. He knows he’s a member of a protected species, and he’s quite willing to use that status to his advantage.

It’s worth noting, though, that the driver won the stare-down. He was able to pass the Lone Turkey and continue down the street (much too fast, as usual). Faced with a full pack, he would certainly have had to wait for them to clear the street before he could proceed.

So it’s incremental progress in neighborhood politics. Hopefully the end of the drought–if it ever ends–won’t signal a return of the large flocks.