Someyearsago,IhappenedtobelivingonanoldfarminOK.Irestoredtheold,100yearoldhenhouseandstartedmyownflock.BeforeIwasdone,Ihad200layinghensplustheroosters.

　　Callmecrazy,butwhenIwasbuyingbabies,Ihappenedacrossalocalbirdbreederandgot2femaleand1maleturkey.

　　Aboutthesametime,mygirlshadstartedlayingeggs,aneighbor'steenagesonhelpedmetobuildahutchforthetinywildrabbits,Ihadrescuedandraised.Evidently,sometimeduringtheday,oneofmy'turkeygirls'(snoopy)wasinthewrongplaceatthewrongtime.Hermiddletoewasbroken.Ithadtobethoseheavyworkboots,theboywaswearing.

　　Inoticedherstandinginthemiddleoftheyard,barelylimping,whenalltherestofthebirdswereherdingthemselvesofftothehouseatdusk.Iexaminedher,thenpickedherupandcarriedhertothehenhouse.Shecouldn'tjumpuptotheroost,soIheldherwhileshegotherbalance.

　　Thenextmorning,allthebirdscamerunningoutforbreakfast.AllbutTurkeyGirl.Realizingshewascrippledwithapainfultoe,Iloweredherdowntothefeed.Thenlater,seeingshewasn'tjoiningthecrowd,chasingaroundandgrabbingforbugs,Ipickedherupandcarriedheroverthethefrontyard,soIcouldkeepaneyeonher.

　　Everytimesheeyedabug,beforeshecouldmakeitovertowherethatbugwas,10chickenshadalreadypouncedonit.ThisbrokemyheartandIdecidedtohelpherout.Iwenthunting.

　　Icamebackwithoneofthosehugegrasshoppersinmyfist.Iheldmyfistouttowardher,soshecouldseethislittleheadpeekingoutandsaid,"GotchaOne".Shepluckeditoutofmyfist.

　　Prettysoon,mydaywasoccupiedwithfetchinggrasshoppersforTurkeyGirl.Eachtime,I'dcallouttoher,"GotchaOne".

　　Aboutthethirdday,Mr.BossManRooster,caughtontowhatIwasdoing,racedacrosstheyardandpluckedthatgrasshopperoutofmyfist,sofastIdidn'tevenseeitcoming.DirtyRat!Iwentandgotanotherone.Samething.Iwentandgot2!Withoneineachfist,ImanagedtogetoneofthemtoTurkeyGirl,beforeherealizedtherewasanotheronetohave.

　　Beforelong,Ifoundmyself,strollingdownthedirtroad,alongthesePecantreesandshrubs,withaplasticbag,collectingawholeslewofgrasshoppers.

　　Theattackwason.Returningtotheyard,notonlyMr.Bosscamerunningtomeetme,sodidabout50chickens,alldeterminedtobefirstinline.Haha...Imanagedtoget5ofthemintoTurkeyGirl.Sothere!

　　Oneday,Iwasaboutablockdownthatlittledirtroad,hadcollectedawholeplasticbagfullofgrasshoppersanddecidedtocutacrossthewheatfield,tothehouse.Ashort-cut.

　　Thiswasahuge,squaredofffieldofwheat.Iclimbedoverthefenceandstartedtowardthehouse,whensomethingcaughtmyeye.Justafewfeetbehindthehouse,somethingwhiteflickeredinthegreencarpetofwheat.Iwalkedon.Afewsecondslater,Isawthatflashofwhiteagainbutclosertome.Iwalkedon.Then,abouthalfthewayacrossthewheatfield,Isawthatflashofwhiteagain,butthistimeIrecognizedit.Mr.Boss!Hewasrunningthroughthewheat,thenpoppingupevernowandthentogetalockonmylocation.

　　Oh,noyoudon't!Icouldn'tbelievemyeyes.Ashegotcloser,Iraisedtheplasticbag,fullofgrasshoppers,highabovemyhead.Hecaughtupwithmeandthewholerestofthetrip,wasmedefendingmytreasure,holdingitupwherehecouldn'treach,andhimjumpinguphigherandhigher,aswewent.