Book Entry 17: 1957 Talking "Turkey"

 

1957

Talking “Turkey”

I would ride “shotgun” with my dad when he delivered the loads of peaches from the field to the docks in Hughson.  Dad was just sure the fellow pulling the peaches was giving our crop some undeserved bad grades.  He told mom on our way out of the driveway he was going to talk "turkey” to the grader when we delivered the next load. 

 I remember snuggling up to him on our ride to town, then standing right beside him as he talked with the fellow grading our load of peaches.  After a few minutes I grew impatient and blurted out loud enough for everyone to hear, “When are you going to talk like a turkey to this man daddy?”  I guess I embarrassed dad.  His face turned red and everyone laughed.  He must not have been mad because when we got home he couldn’t wait to tell mom what I’d done.  He laughed the whole time he was telling her. 
Years later when I was a Freshman in High School some of the Seniors, including David Hedrick and Vernon Tucker, started the "Gobble."  They took turns running up and down the outside halls gobbling like turkeys.  One by one other kids would join in and soon all the students were "gobbling."  It was hilarious to everyone but especially to those of us who lived on farms.  We knew that is exactly the way a barn full of turkeys really acts!
I often wondered if when my dad said he was going to talk "turkey" he meant he was going to make a lot of noise complaining and the grader was going to make a lot of noise with excuses and nothing was really going to change.