Uncle Bob owned and operated a meat processing plant in Lebanon, Oregon. He also had a smokehouse out back. On occasion, folks would bring their own meats over for Uncle Bob to smoke – he didn’t mind, and was glad to help.
One year, at Thanksgiving, this lady showed up with a nice 24 – 25 pound Butterball turkey. She told Uncle Bob she had 10 – 12 folks coming for Thanksgiving dinner, and asked him if he could smoke it for her. “No Problem,” Uncle Bob told her, and he put her turkey in the smokehouse.
Then he went into town and bought a capon (a large chicken), and put that in the smokehouse as well.
When the gal showed up a couple days later Uncle Bob went out to the smokehouse to retrieve her turkey. He took the capon, and draped the turkey packaging over it. He then returned to the house, with the capon in one of his hands and a very concerned look on his face.
He held the bird out to her in his big hand and said something like, “Mable, I don’t know what happened to your turkey – it shrunk!”
She had a complete look of horror on her face as her guests were scheduled to show up in only a few hours. And when he saw her reaction, Uncle Bob bored in for ‘the kill,’ “I’ve never seen anything like this before; did you buy a cheap one, Mable?”
Well, he had her! He let ride for a bit, then couldn’t hold it together any longer! That was my Uncle Bob – God love him!
And now, I am just waiting for someone to ask me to smoke a turkey for them…
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
great story Bob. Uncle Bob left us a legacy of great stories and love. Well done!
Another great story Bob! Thanks again for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving! By the way, I don’t think I’ll ever ask you to smoke my turkey! He wouldn’t taste very good anyhow…..large turkeys never do! My turkey is at least 180 lbs and his name is Pink!