Billy and the Turkey
Shoot
A Thanksgiving Story
By Danny Tillman
Billy and Morris in near-flank battle position!
Albey Yark, signing simultaneously to x, says in hushed tones, "Rufus, Johnny, X, Tom-Tom, ya'll hold on rat here while I give my final instructions to Morris and Billy," then moves silently down the line to where Morris and Billy are standing. He whispers to the two men, "Billy and Morris, these aer my final instructions to y'all. Synchronize yore watches on my mark, that mark being 10:49."
Morris and Billy both lift their left arms, and with their right thumbs and index fingers, pull outward on their winding stems and adjust their hour hands to exactly the 49-minute mark. Then Yark, referring to the watch dial on his own wrist, and watching his second hand clicking forward to the 49-minute mark, counts down the last 10 seconds:
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, MARK," at which instant, the other two men push in on their winding stems to lock in the precise time of Albey's watch. The 3 watches are now running on the exact same second.
Then Yark continues, "Morris and Billy, at exactly 11:00, I will step out from my cover of woods, directly in line with the porch door, and hail Miss Raschette. At that precise time, I wont you boys to be secured and hidden in your position from this side, and ready to charge in from this-here flank. Stay hidden till I give signal. That signal will be when I yell in a very loud voice, the word 'Now.'. I will give Rufus and John the same instructions, and they will rush in from the far flank. Any questions?" Billy and Morris shake their heads.
"O.k., men, advance silently to yore flank position," and Morris and Billy step off toward the border of the trees nearest this side of the porch of the Knife Lady. Albey walks back to give final instructions to Mr. Pisachube. Then Yark moves back up to where Rufus, John, X and Tom are waiting, and whispers to them and signs for the benefit of X: "Rufus and John, synchronize yore watches on my mark…," and he goes through the same routine as with Billy and Morris, so as to have everyone on the same time for Yark's stepping out of cover to hail Raschelle at precisely 11:00."
That being done, Rufus, Tom and John, with Albey leading from this point, walking carefully to avoid stepping on any fallen branches that may snap and alert the keen ears of the Knife Lady, advance to the 2nd battle position fronting the porch of her house.