In search of a turkey
By Karyn Bowman
A few weeks ago my husband wanted to take a trek to find a turkey.
It was a day that was bright and sunny but chilly enough to require a jacket. Our youngest has just finished preschool for the day and was chanting for McDonald’s.
We had a number of errands to do that day that were done before a trip to Jimmy John’s for lunch. What I remember from that day, more than my usually excellent beef sandwich with dijon mustard, was a family of six at a few of the tables.
I saw the parents at one table while the four kids, between the ages of about 4 and 8, sat at the next one over eating their lunch. Mom and Dad were trying to relax but in their body language you could see the ever watching half-eye on the kids. It is scene my husband and I have done may times over the years with our four children.
It was image of sweetness during Spring break that was probably replicated repeatedly. But all I could think of was “how tired is that mom?” I knew where she was sitting but could not think of words of comfort to give. Words like “you’re past the worst” till I thought about puberty and the teen years. Phrases such as “enjoy what you have now because it changes so fast” seemed trite.
My only words of wisdom are on the lines of sleep when the baby sleeps because you need it and the housework can wait a few years or keep taking interest in what interests the kids and they will still talk to you as a teen. I have watched many a show I had no interest in because my kids liked it. I may have been too tired to move, come to think of it, which explains why I’ve watched more than one episode of BoBoBoBoBo.
Well, we left Jimmy John’s after our sandwiches were ready and went to the State Park to play on the playground and eat lunch. We later went driving around to find an overly friendly turkey. We never found him. Must have heard turkey season was coming or became dinner for a wild predator.
Later that day, I saw a whole flock on the train tracks on the east side of our town as I went to pick up our oldest from a friend’s house. I called the husband on the cell so he could run out and take a picture of the big group of nearly ten turkeys, including two toms.
It was pretty incredible.
Karyn Bowman is also known as Mom Goes to the Movies and wrote for the Daily Journal as their movie reviewer for over seven years. She lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children.
