Wild Turkey Saved

All in a days work.

It was late for a Monday night. The road was dark. For about 20 minutes of a long stretch of highway, there are no street lights. A few cars. Dark road, lone girl.

Traveling about 55 mph. In the left hand lane. Two cars to my right. Traveling together. Up a rolling hill. Down. My lights started to tilt up the next hill and there it was. White. Standing in my lane. Cars to my right. Ditch and cars coming the opposite direction to my left. It was hit. Before I knew it. Before I could even react. I screamed. I don't know what it was, but I felt it. Solid and alive. Surely dead after that impact.

Reached for my phone. Definitely hysterical now. Crawling down the highway, in the right hand lane. Called Chris. He answered. Automatically alarmed. I couldn't hardly breathe. "Do I go back?? What if it was a dog?!" It was late. Probably 11pm. I couldn't save the animal. Or maybe it was didn't. Either way, I felt awful and sad and really sad. And now, on this dark road, late at night, I couldn't go back. Alone. I never saw it until right before I hit it and another car wouldn't be able to see me. On the phone, I settled down. Still horrified at what had happened and ashamed I couldn't go back. The drive home had to continue.

Fast forward through a few days. Rabbits, squirrels, and a bird... all had ran in front of me at some point. All lived. But there is was. On my way to work. On a curve of a country road. Laying just to the right of the yellow line. A wild turkey. I swearved barely passing him by going through the grass. I looked down. He was alive. Just hanging out. Maybe hurt. I'm not sure. Continued my drive. Couldn't help thinking about the turkey. What if he wasn't hurt? It was only a matter of time before someone would squish him.

Turned my car around. Back to the turkey. Yep. There he was. Still just where I left him. I pulled up. This time to his left. It was safer this way. A car would see me stopped from that direction.

HONK! HONK!

No movement. Rolled down my window. I yelled whatever wild turkey noises I could come up with. Still. He just looked at me. Refusing to move. I opened my car door.

I was desparate. He had to move! Or soon be roadkill before my very eyes. "TURKEY! You've got to move!" Talking to him may help. I even tried to coax him from the opposite side. Five minutes went by. He did flap his wings once. That was it. No car came. That was the Lord.

Last chance. "Arrrr! Turkey!!" Then. His wings started to spread. He was annoyed with me and made some sound. But he stood. And could walk! I headed towards him and he ran to the side of the road. He layed in the grass right beside the concrete, but thank heavens! He was out of the line of fire! I was so proud!

Wild turkey saved. My chance at redeeming myself over the other animal, I hadn't passed by. Or I did... But I turned around. The next day - I saw two wild turkeys in the field. That was a great feeling.