Tammy the Turkey

Way back in another century known as the 70s when I was yet a schoolgirl I wrote my first book. It had a printing of one, but I still have the book. It sits among my writing references in the bookshelf on my desk. The program I was in at school took 10 fifth graders through the process of writing a book.

I wrote a delightful story (yes that is a little shameless self aggrandizing) about a poor little turkey who was attempting to avoid becoming someone’s Thanksgiving dinner. The original title was “Tommy Turkey.” When I floated that title at dinner one night a couple of Toms objected and demanded I rename the book. So much for poetic license or creative freedom or whatever you call it. I bowed to the pressure and renamed the book “Timothy Turkey.”

Saturday morning one of the above mentioned Toms gleefully asked me if I had heard the news earlier this week. Not sure I knew which news he was referring to I asked, “Which news?”

“The story about Tammy the turkey.” He replied with what I am pretty sure was the hint of a grin in his voice. If said Tom was a man who giggles I am pretty sure he would have at this moment.

Apparently I was out of the loop last week and missed the breaking news that Tammy the turkey was seen for several days near the tollbooths on the New Jersey Turnpike. Rumor has it she was trying to hitch a ride out of town in search of a safe place to wait out Thanksgiving week.

At the end of the riveting “Timothy Turkey” Timothy meets a cute little girl turkey and lives happily ever after. Maybe Tammy the turkey was just trying to get home to share a Thanksgiving Tofurkey with her boyfriend, Timothy and that is why she was on the Turnkpike.

Regardless of Tammy's reasons for being there, this Thanksgiving I will spend the week trying to live down the glory of having a turkey share my name. Just what my siblings need, more fodder for teasing me!