I’m one of those people who marvels at living things, so much so that I majored in Biology. The fact that I saw nothing alive during my entire program was discouraging, but that’s a tale for another day.
I was heading home last week from the Woodland Park Campus of Berkeley College where I’m honored to serve as an adjunct professor. Driving past Garret Mountain Reservation there was a traffic backup…not usual. People were honking, but no one was moving.
I looked down the road and there was a great big turkey standing proudly and blocking the thoroughfare. I joined the honkers, but we were getting nowhere. Nature lover that I am, I left my vehicle to shoo ol’ Tom Turkey back into the woods where he would go on his way and so would we.
“Shoo” I said, with gestures that were shoo-like. “Hell” he said, furrowed his turkey brow and fixed his gaze on me. Slowly, but gathering momentum, he charged. His “gobbles” intensified and my speed increased as I headed for the refuge of my vehicle. I can’t say I felt turkey breath on my derriere, but he was close enough.
I barely got into the car but couldn’t close the door because a red head with a hostile face was pecking and gobbling. I finally got the door closed, but he continued to peck and gobble. Traumatic!
When I looked at the other drivers expecting to see the horror I was feeling, I saw hysterical laughter instead. That sort of broke the tension for me. If the incident goes viral, you know the story.
Tiring of me, the turkey took up with the car behind me and I escaped. I looked to the right as saw a harem of female turkeys and realized that Mr. Tom was doing his manly duty and protecting his girls.
Humility first in all things.
I will say I had the last laugh… I ordered a turkey wrap for lunch.
With love, Rosanne