Billy and the Turkey
Shoot
A Thanksgiving Story
By Danny Tillman
Questions answered
BETTY HAD ASKED how Shaune and Albey, who looked like identical twins, found each other. Mr. Shaune-whose last name had been revealed to all as "Raschette"-- spoke: "Ah, Madame Bay-TEE, zat eez all Albey's do-EENG."
"Not ALL my doing, Shaune, my friend," Albey cut in, "Let's say it was more like me a-follerin' orders from the Commander in Chief. "You see, one day I was wondering what to do next. I turned eye and heart heavenward and knew that I must leave Tennerssee and head southeast to Jacksonville.
"Bein' in the construction trade, that was a good move a-cause of the post war building boom going on here abouts. "That's how I met up with the Pisachubes, Thornroses, Lincourts, and Brands, who all were in the paintin' trade, as well as bein' workers on the high steel of the bridges and skyscrapers."
"Theen," said Shaun Raschette, "hee come down one day to zee gun club.
"Ahh!
"I have nave-ur been so surprised wheen one day, een comes myself!"
Albey added: "It were the greatest surprise of both our lives. "Like lookin' in a mirror. "We were exact doubles, from black fedora, long hair and beard, facial features, black coats, pants and even the same brand of brogans!"
"Albey theen started breeng-EEN hees amies, from work weeth heem."
"Yes," explained Albey,
"My Indian friends and I found a haven out thar on the shootin' range with Shaune and the other members.
"It was only natural, that Shaune soon told me about his daughter.
"An impossible situation seemed was on one hand and in our other hand the solution was staring us in the face:
" there jes had to be a way to use our likenesses to advantage."
"For about a y'ar, Shaune and I pondered on jes how we-uns was agonna use the fact of our spit-and-image of each other to bring him and Raschelle back together."
"Theen, Meese Bay-TEE, about one year agoo, wee had a thought to spon-SAIR zee turkee shoot. "Wee steel didn't know how eet would help me geet moi and Raschelle back to ge-thair, boot wee knew eet was what wee MUST doo!" "That's shore the truth, Shaune. And now, Miss Betty," said Albey, "let me answer your third question here, afore we go on further: "Thar aer only 5 people who knew what was really going on here today with the rescue of Miss Raschelle: "Mr. R.L., Shaune, Bernny, Ernny and myself."
Then Betty said: "Mr. Shaune ... Mr. Albey ... I don't know what to say! Your story is most unusual. I'm so glad anyone didn't get killed. "You were taking a lot of life and death chances, and it was a miracle everything worked out in the end. "Oh, look at the time!" Betty glanced at her wristwatch: "Come on ladies, to your positions!"
And Yark came back with: "Right, Miss Betty, all-a us-ns need to get a-hoppin'. It's 20 minutes to 2:00. "The vegetables aer shore steamed by now. "We must dig-um out & pull-um up, and then bring Billy's and Rufus's turkey and other meats and fixin's from the chow wagons and get into our poe-sitions behind the sarvin' tables. "Thar's a heap o' starvin' people out thar!"
Yark's Company and all disperse from the front porch and melt into the crowd to do their respective duties on the lawn to make the final preparations on getting the last items of food onto the serving tables and be ready to start the dinner line moving at 2:00 sharp. Shaune and Raschelle are hand in hand and walking on air as they head back toward the parking area with some of the others. There's still a lot of afternoon left, and the best part hasn't even begun: the Thanksgiving Feast!"