Billy and the Turkey
Shoot
A Thanksgiving Story
By Danny Tillman
Strategy meeting continues!
Back at Mary’s house, Yark is continuing his strategy meeting when, Mr. and Mrs. Tondalayo, Mr. and Mrs. Lincourt, Mr. and Mrs. Brands and Mr. and Mrs. Thornrose enter and stand just inside the living room near the front door. Yark sees these other trusted members of his company coming in and says to those already present,
"Oh yes … scuse me folks for just a minute. I aer [ed. : are] needin' to talk to those people. They'll be a-lookin' out fer things on the home front while we-uns aer on our mission over through the woods," and he walks over to them and says,
"Please folks, can y'all keep an eye on everthing here? Y'all ken bring out the EE-quipment for archery. But hold off a-settin' it up in the back yard till I give the signal, as we aer a-needin' to exit that-away when we head off in the back woods. Also … usin' yore own DEE-scretion, please utilize any help y'all ken get for organized games fer the littl'uns. Now go ask Aunt Mary for use of her rooms to get into yore Indian clothes."
The four couples walk over to Aunt Mary, and she ushers the four husbands to one room and the four wives to another. Just then, Uncle Everett and Aunt Elizabeth come in the front door and Yark turns to them and says,
"Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins, ever so glad you showed up just now. Would y'all be so kind as to help us out here?"
Then Yark fills them in briefly on the situation, and Uncle Everett says,
"Glad you asked, Mr. Yark. I DO have a good idea for a game to keep these kids here today WELL occupied for a while AND worn out after it's over,"
and Aunt Elizabeth added,
"Well, I Swanee, Mr. Yark! Don't you worry about a thing, and I can help out with the food too."
Aunt Vonnie comes in from another part of the house and says,
"Mary … Baby Sister is down for her nap and Janice and Little sister and Brenda are playing in her bedroom. I'll keep a good eye on 'em. Y'all just go on and do whatever it is you have to do out there. We'll all hold down the fort while you're gone. Now go on--get out of here! Get this thing over with, and get back here so's we can get back to some kind of normal life around here!"
"Thank you Ma'am, Aunt Vonnie," replied Yark, "We still have a few things to settle out right here afore we go," and the group near the front door exited.