Misunderstanding. Story of the fake turkey told by Chuck Swindoll
This is a true story told by Chuck Swindoll 2 years ago. Chuck has a
close friend who knows this young attorney in Texas of a sizable law firm.
He worked for a traditional kind of boss who had a thing for Thanks
Giving. Every year the boss would go through a sort of ritual, at this
large walnut table he would place a series of turkeys for each member in
the law firm. This was not just a simple pick a turkey if you want one but
it was a kind of thing but a formal setting where your turkey would be
placed in front of you and when the time came for you to receive yours,
you would step up to the turkey and express how grateful you were to work
for the firm and acknowledge the gift of this turkey and the special
holiday of thanks giving.
Now the problem was this attorney was single and had no use for a large
turkey. First he didn’t know how to fix it and second even if he did
cook it what would he do with all the meat but because it was expected he
took the turkey every year. What he didn’t know is that one year his
close friends stole his turkey and in its place put a paper mashie turkey
and weighed it down with lead to make it feel like a real turkey. They put
a real neck and tail on it so that it looked just like the real thing but
it was a bogus bird through and through.
When it came is turn he stepped up and picked up the bird and announced
how grateful he was to be with the firm and to receive the turkey on this memorable
day of thanks giving. Later that day he got on the bus heading for home
and sat down with the turkey on his lap wondering what in the world he
would do with it. Later down the line a man got on the bus looking a
little worn down and discouraged and so happened to sit down on a vacant
seat next to this attorney. They stuck up a conversation talking about
thanks giving and by and by the attorney learned that this stranger was
out job hunting having no luck. the stranger had a large family and was
wondering what he would do for thanks giving tomorrow. The attorney had
this thought that this was his day to do a good deed and would give the
man his turkey. Then he had a second though that this man was not a free
loader, he was not a bum and would probably break his pride to give the
man the turkey so he decided he would sell it to him. How much money do
you have the attorney asked? The man responded I have a couple of dollars
and a few cents. I would like to sell you this turkey and he placed it in
his lap and said "Sold" and proceeded to take the mans last
couple dollars. The man was moved to tears, thrilled to death that his
family would have thanks giving at home with a turkey. He got off the bus
and waved to the attorney with kind words such as "God bless
you", "Have a wonderful thanks giving", "I will
remember you forever" and the bus drove off.
Now the stranger got home and announced to the family you will never
believe the nice man I met today and I’m sure he set the turkey down on
the table and begun to unwrap it only to find a paper bird weighed down
with lead, etc. The next day at the office the attorney comes in and his
friends are dying to know about the turkey and they asked him. You can
imagine the look on their faces when they heard the nice story of the
stranger on the bus that was true. Chuck tells us that from what he
understands the attorney and his friends searched the bus lines for the
next week for that man who as far as he knows still entertains a
misunderstanding about a guy who sold him for 2 bucks a fake turkey.
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