A Turkey What?
by Tapestri
Universe: ATF
Notes: This story is in response to the November Challenge at the Mag7 Challenge Group:This month's challenge is to use the traditional Thanksgiving trappings in non traditional forms and ways. In other words, lets see Turkey and stuffing--ANY definition of turkey and stuffing-- but no cooked birds or Stove top allowed (unless the box is being used to prop up a table leg or something). Throw in as many Thanksgiving related things as possible, pilgrims, indian corn, family gatherings, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie but remember NONE of it can be used traditionally! (heaven help me what you'll do with Cranberry sauce) Any open AU!Bonus: throw in a whiffle ball (or baseball/stick ball, etc if OW)
A big thank you goes to Helen for her beta work.
“Damn, Josiah! What is that thing?” Buck stared at the large, multi-colored object Josiah carried into the office.
“A turkey,” Josiah replied as he set it down carefully on his desk.
Buck frowned. “A turkey what?”
“Piñata.”
Ezra burst out laughing. “A turkey piñata? Now I’ve seen everything.”
Nathan shook his head as he walked around the desk to see it from all sides.
“What’s it for, Josiah?” JD wanted to know.
“The Thanksgiving Celebration down at the Center. You haven’t forgotten about that now, have you?”
“Of course not.”
“How could we? It’s not as if you haven’t brought it up at least once a day for the last week,” Ezra observed wryly.
“But why bring that thing here?” Buck wanted to know.
Josiah smiled. “I thought you boys might join me in stuffing it.”
That met with a chorus of agreement.
“Speaking of Thanksgiving, how did the farm excursion go, Vin?” Ezra asked.
“Great! Some of those kids ain’t never seen vegetables that didn’t come from a can. You should have seen their faces. Once they helped pick and fix ‘em, they even tried things they thought they hated.” Vin grinned widely at the memory.
“I remember eating corn fresh from the garden. Nothing beats that.”
“I didn’t know you had a garden, JD.”
“I didn’t, but where my mom worked did. Sometimes she was able to bring vegetables home fresh for us.”
Vin nodded. “You’re sure right about the taste of fresh corn, JD. The Morgans, at the farm, gave us some seeds. We’re gonna find a place we can fix up for a garden and come spring we’ll plant us a garden that the kids will help take care of.”
“I’m sure they’ll find that an enlightening experience.”
“You ever plant anything, Ez?”
Ezra shrugged as he answered. “As a matter of fact, I did deign to dirty my hands in such an endeavor once.” He gave in to their inquiring looks and elaborated. “I believe I was six years old. It was November and the family I was staying with believed in decorating for the seasons. One item was a huge cornucopia filled with gourds, fruits and maize. I’d never seen anything like. Although they assured me it was real, I had my doubts.
“One day, when no one was around, I took one of the ears of corn. Upon examination I decided that it was, indeed, real.”
“So you planted it?”
“Not at that time, Vin. I left that house shortly thereafter. My curiosity was aroused however, and I spent some time doing research on the topic of corn. It was a few years later that the people I was staying with were doing some planting in their rather large kitchen garden. I decided to try planting some of my corn.” Ezra chuckled at the memory. “You should have seen them trying to figure out where that had come from. Fortunately, it wasn’t enough to ruin their crop.”
He paused in reflection. “I kept one of those ears as well.”
“You still have it?”
“Amazingly enough, I do.”
Nathan smiled at Ezra’s admission even as he was distracted by JD rummaging around on his desk. “What are you doing, JD?”
“Looking for the shopping list Casey gave me. Aha!” He held up the piece of paper triumphantly.
Buck sat on the corner of JD’s desk. “I thought you just picked up some things for her the other day.”
“I did. I couldn’t quite make out one item, and picked up cranberry sauce.” He shook his. “Don’t know why that’s so popular, and I had no idea there was such a thing as cranberry juice. Can’t imagine anyone wanting to drink it.”
“John Dunne, you mean to say that you don’t like cranberries? Why, at this time of year that’s just a crime.”
JD made a face at Josiah.
“Hate to tell you this kid,” Buck sighed dramatically, “but you know Chris’ special barbecue sauce you like so much?”
JD nodded slowly, a look of suspicion on his face.
“Cranberry sauce is the secret ingredient.”
Buck almost fell off the desk laughing at the look on his young friend’s face.
“What did I tell you about giving up my secrets, Buck?”
Chris stood in the doorway looking threatening.
“Sorry, Chris,” Buck wheezed. “Couldn’t resist when the kid said he didn’t like cranberries.”
JD shrugged when Chris looked at him.
“What did Travis say?” Nathan’s question got everyone’s attention.
“That if we actually get some work done today, and nothing else comes up, we can have the rest of the week off.”
“Yes!.” Buck pumped the air with his fist.
”Work first, Buck.”
“Gentlemen, care to place a wager on who gets done first?”
Good natured betting and challenges accompany the men to their respective work. Chris headed for his office, pointedly ignoring the object that had taken over Josiah’s desk.
During their lunch break the men headed out to find what they wanted to fill the piñata. Once they were all back they took turns stuffing the bird.
“You think maybe we overdid it? This is one heavy bird,” Vin observed.
“Think it’s all those coins Ezra tossed in,” Buck said. “Good thing I bought stickers and tattoos. Those didn’t weigh much at all.”
“They’ll probably end up flying all around the room when the piñata breaks,” JD commented. “Unlike those packs of trading cards Nathan brought. Those are going to drop straight down.”
Nathan thought about all the chocolates and hard candies that Vin and Chris had managed to fit into the piñata and remarked, “Well I say it’s a good thing some of us brought something other than candies.”
“Josiah, I must say that your contribution may just be the most original.” Ezra was looking at the quarter-size eraser he was holding. “This is a masterful piece of work for such a mundane object.”
Josiah smiled. Each of the men had kept one of the miniature pumpkin pies, complete to small dollops of whipped cream in the centers.
“We certainly are a creative group. I’m sure the children will be delighted with all of your contributions. Now. Who’s going to help me get it down to my car?”
“Yes, we must take care with that bird,” Ezra cautioned. “We don’t want anything to happen that might knock the stuffing out of it prematurely, now.”
They all agreed. Buck found a large box and they carefully lifted he piñata into it, then Nathan helped Josiah carry it while the others provided an escort assuring that nothing happened to the prize on their watch.
Once the turkey was loaded the men headed for their own vehicles. Ezra reached his car and then paused to return Vin’s wave.
Nathan noticed Ezra still standing there. “Ezra?”
“Hmm? Oh. I was just thinking how much the children, and their families, are going to enjoy Thanksgiving this year.” Ezra’s smiled blossomed out, and then he ducked his head before turning to look at Nathan. “And how lucky we are to be able to share it with them.”
Nathan smiled, and lightly slapped Ezra’s shoulder.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Ezra.”
“And to you, my friend. See you at the party.”
