Billy and the Turkey
Shoot
A Thanksgiving Story
By Danny Tillman
Strategy meeting continues!
"I am proposing that we all walk over to her house the back way through the woods, and after a 'Hello in the house, or on the porch!' depending on her location, we proceed to give her an invite, and if she says 'Yes,' which is doubtful, we bring her back here, after the ladies help her to get fixed up and all. "If she says, 'No', which she probably will--well--I have a plan that might help her change her mind, with y'alls' help. Maybe we won't be able to persuade her. But we sure are going to give it the old college try, and it is pretty sure we're a-goin' to get some resistance from the Knife Lady. O.K.,"
Albey Yark continued,
"Let's go down to specifics. Let me begin to propose the order of march. "Uncle Rufus, you can go first to scout out the way, since you are familiar with this neighborhood through the back woods. "Johnny, you'll be next behind Rufus. I'll tell you why later. "Then, Rufus, when you spot her house, I want you and John to keep moving in a circular pattern around the outskirts of her porch yard, keeping out of sight amongst trees and bushes. "I'll give you more details about what to do after that a little later. "I'll come next, right behind Rufus and Johnny." Albey then pointed at X. "Since you are handiest with knife and best a-knowin' whys and wherefores of throwin' and gettin' throwed at, in this group, I want you right 'hind me if you don't mind. And by the way X, leave that-thar 'Arkansas Toothpick' in the pickup. That goes for all my gang. No knives, bows or arrows, or guns. It is very important that we go completely unarmed. Our mission here today is not one of offense against Miss Raschette as such that could be accounted for as physical--but against the Oppression that has been keeping her a prisoner all these years. That is why I asked y'all earlier on if-n everyone here believes in The LORD--Our Father in Heaven. We cain't do jobs like this with success, 'less-n we allow to let him do the real work his-n' way: that work being the changing of Miss Raschelle's heart..”
"Oh yeah, we-uns could haul in thar, armed to the teeth, shootin' bullets, arrows, and chuckin' knifes. X, who flings a mean blade hisself'ld prob'ly be a purty good ol' match agin' the handy Knife Lady. But I ast The Big Watcher now respec'fully, to go 'head-on, and begin persuading her, inside her heart, fer us. So 'stead of, a-goin' in thar loaded fer b'ar armed and dangerous, we'll be a-follerin' the leadin' of The Great Leader, a-takin' whatever Miss Rashette has to deal out. And X, 'stead of a-threatenin' Miss Raschelle with his trusty knife, will try his hand at dee-fense 'stead-n offense."
At this point, Rufus and Billy and their gang looked at X. X's face showed only a calm expression, and the other members of Albey's gang nodded their heads reassuringly. Some of the children ran in the front door, saw the grownups, stopped, and then ran back out. Albey continued,
"I 'd like fer you, Tom, to foller rat bee-hind X. I'm a-counting on yore agility and quickness, to be an assist decoy to X here, and me. 'Tom-Tom,' (as the gang affectionately called the young man, Tom Tondalayo) presented a serene expression in the manner of the older (but not that much older) X. “
Neither Tom, nor X, ever talked much between them; and as a matter of fact, X never talked at all, nor did the fixed, calm expression on his face ever change. Rufus and Billy's gang had also noticed, that whenever Mr. Yark was talking to X, Albey would be at the same time using sign language toward X, translating his English into understandable information for the solemn young man.