11/21/07


When Biscuits met Gravy


Tri-O's oddities, observations, and opinions
by Herb Kandel

Perhaps you’ve forgotten the story. It happened in November 2004 at about this time of year. It was in all the newspapers and TV. But I can’t fault you for not remembering…..so many other things were happening like Afghanistan, Iraq, the economy, and blow-out bargains at stores (so….what else is new?). It all began with President Harry Truman back in 1947. Now, it’s not everyday that one gets to meet the president of the United States in person, especially those from such humble beginnings. But I’m getting ahead of myself. So, let me tell you how this particular meeting came about.

They came from a small farm in the town of Mahias, West Virginia. It was a large family. The first difficulty encountered when entering the world was learning how to drink and swallow. It was no easy task to master. The process in achieving this was fraught with danger. Were it not for those nurturing hands of those caring for them at the time, they would no longer be here. Because they were so fragile the temperature had to be carefully controlled ; too hot and they had a fit of panting, too cold led to uncontrollable shivers and possible smothering. Because of their skin condition they were susceptible to other maladies such as external parasites. Later ramps were necessary for them to gain room access. They overcame each obstacle and became healthier because of it as they grew. Even their food had to be prepared in precise nutritional proportions to aid in their well being and proper growth. And grow they did.

Everyone pitched in with the work and the days were long. They had small creature comforts but nothing elaborate, ornate, or expensive. It was not easy going, for at times when production was down and there were more mouths to feed they divided everything equally. There was a complete lack of privacy as many had to share the frugal surroundings, but there was never a time they went hungry or suffered from lack of supervision. In fact they were kept under constant surveillance for monitoring as well as their own protection. Because of the past traditions, recommended care, and circumstances both felt that they could never “spread their wings”, so to speak.

Not many long survive the rigors of such beginnings for most become just another statistic on federal reports and items on a grocery list to get checked off. But as fate would have it, through extra special attention such as the hand feeding of their supervised diet, being coddled by caring individuals, and not having to tolerate the grit and gravel of the usual existence, they prospered. So much so that they not only gained in health, and stature but also in prestige among their peers. They were now the leaders in the pecking order of things.

Thanksgiving time was approaching. It was a long standing tradition that the major caretaker had to go among the many offspring to make a selection as to who this year would be invited to the White House dinner. All the siblings flocked around him when he entered their space. Most were deserving and eager to be selected, but there were some dumb clucks who could not care a feather of a fig if it was them. But choices had to be made and they were.

In 1947 the first National Thanksgiving Turkey was presented to President Harry Truman and this marked the 57th anniversary of the event. President Lincoln and other presidents intermittently received live turkeys but not in an official presentation. This was how, in 2004, President Bush and the First Lady officially met Biscuits and Gravy.

They were 22 weeks old, broad-breasted, and each weighed about 40 pounds. As mentioned they were periodically hand fed a careful diet of corn and soybeans along with a continuous source of fresh water. A lot of human interaction was provided in order for them to be “properly presented” during the Rose Garden ceremony. In fact they did so well that they were granted a Presidential “pardon”. The reason two are chosen is just in case one becomes ill and cannot participate, just like the “First Runner-Up “ in a pageant.

After the “pardon” Biscuits and Gravy retired to a replica 1930’s farm, Kidwell Farm in Frying Pan Park, Fairfax County, Virginia. There they joined all the Thanksgiving Day Turkeys and their alternates of the past 15 years, received a lot of attention at this petting zoo and molted happily ever after.

So now we are thankful that these “birds on the land are better off than those two in the Bushes”

Happy Thanksgiving

www.baldwincountynow.com/articles/2007/11/23/columnists/doc474217ad5fdf5185561221.txt