Thanksgiving

Last week I had to get the heating engineer out to fix a leak behind the back boiler on the wood burner . It wasn't a big job which thankfully was covered by warranty, and the visit was only of note because the workman found one of my " family " photos hilariously funny
The photo, I had placed on the mantle was this one
" That's the oddest thing I have ever seen!" He said with a laugh

For recent visitors to Going Gently that may not know, the photo was of Boris and me.
Now Boris was a Norfolk Bronze turkey, who came to me as a tiny poult,  a present from a grateful ITU patient.
From a solemn, black eyed baby, Boris grew into a massive solemn turkey stag who spent most of his day gliding after me with a benign affection bordering on obsession.
Good natured turkey stags make delightfully loyal pets and for many years Boris became a sort of minor celebrity in the village who always seemed to sail gracefully into view when people stopped at the field gate to watch the animals.
Boris often brought a Sense of the surreal to any funeral in the new graveyard as when he spied mourners in their dark coats his testosterone levels would soar and he would gallop heavily towards the cemetery fence gobbling madly at the interlopers, many of whom would burst into inappropriate smiles at the whole situation.
It got so bad that I would have to lock him away every time when the funeral bell rang.

On this thanksgiving day I remember an old friend