Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The one about the turkey.

Pic from FB
Yes, I know I'm not living in the U S of A.  Yes, I know Thanksgiving doesn't exist here.  So what???  It's now a borderless world! There are people who think that if you aren't in the US, you can't write or comment about anything in the US. In their heads, they've bought the exclusive rights!  Heh heh heh.  

Anyway, moving on to reality, here's an anecdote about a turkey since Thanksgiving is just around the corner.


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Often when I visit my mom-in-law, we talk about things that she remembers from her youth. At 76, she is still able to vividly recall the days when the kids were growing up.  Her mind is not as sharp as it must have been 5 years ago but she can remember a lot of the happier and older stories.  

The one about the turkey is her most recent recollection.

I don't know how we came to the topic of turkeys.  Anyway, she mentioned to me that when Stephen was a little boy, he used to play in the neighbour's garden.  He didn't know that she had a turkey at the back.  
Pic from Photobucket

He was about 5 years old and when he saw that turkey and he had such a fright.  He ran to his Aunt C and said that there was a Red Indian Chief at the back.  Hilarious!!!

This almost forgotten memory made my mom-in-law laugh out loud.  Seeing her enjoy this old story made me happy.  More important is that, if not for our chatting, I would never have known this snippet from Stephen's childhood.


4 comments:

  1. I used to be fascinated with turkeys too as there were a few near my house in the kampung area. Amah said I used to call them "olok olok" because of their hanging neck skin.

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  2. I wonder how many children these days have seen a real-life turkey. I did - and I also remember being so very scared of the angsa along one of the streets I walked, on my way to school. I'd seen them chase one of my school mates!!

    Red indian, eh? I am always fascinated at what children say, and how they make connections in their brain and come up with ideas and words. Hahahah! It is funny lah, your MIL's story - just the teacher in me getting silly ;)

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    1. Yes, I remember the angsa as well. There used to be some when I lived in Setapak Gardens. I feared them all. I've heard of them attacking people. I was about 9 or 10 then. One story that sent shivers down my spine is about a mom who was carrying a baby and the angsa came charging towards the mom. As all protective mothers are, the mom grabbed the angsa by the neck while still holding the baby. After that story, I steered clear of those angsa.

      Yes, children always come up with fascinating and original stuff. I loved this story very much.

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