Turkey troubles

“I dare you.”
“What?”
“I double dog dare you!”
“You’re on!”

It was the two days before the big feast known as Thanksgiving, and eighteen year old Tim was home from college for the holiday. He was once again over his aunts house babysitting his five year old cousin Sam, while their parents were out doing some shopping for the feast. Tim, who was sporting a black t-shirt, jean shorts, and eventually regret being barefoot, has just been dared by his cousin Sam to kick the frozen turkey.

Tim knew what he was about to do was probably a bad idea, but thought that the turkey wouldn’t hurt his foot that much if he kicked it just right. As long as he didn’t kick it with his toes, he figured it would hurt no more than if Sam would stomp on his barefoot without shoes. So Tim went to the freezer and pulled out the large turkey. He was asked to do so anyway so it could begin to thaw. The turkey was twenty four pounds. Tim placed it down in the living room, for it was carpeted so the turkey wouldn’t scuff the floor up when he would kick it. Tim took a step back to measure the kick. Sam sat on the count watching intently. Then took a step forward quickly cocked his right foot back and gave the turkey a swift kick.

By the pain that shot through Tim’s nerves sending messages to his brain, knees, and foot told Tim that he did exactly what he didn’t want to do. And that was him kicking the turkey with his toes. The turkey moves only a foot or so across the floor, while Tim’s eyes widened with his mouth open unable to express his pain. He quickly clutched his toes in his hands and squeezed tightly balancing himself on his other leg. Sam jumped off the couch and walked up to the turkey.

“Wow,” he said. “You kicked it far. Does it hurt?”
“Does it hurt?” retorted Tim. “Let me put it like this…….OOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!”

Tim hopped over to the turkey and put his foot down to inspect his toes. They were extremely red and it felt as if they were pulsating a like in a cartoon. It hurt to flex them. But he completed the double dare and Tim felt Sam probably respected him more for it. Unfortunately, Tim’s respect for Sam was not going to increase especially when Sam attempted to pick up the large turkey on his own. It ended about as well as it did during the summer when Sam tried picking up Tim’s large weight, as he dropped the turkey right onto Tim’s right foot and toes.

“YEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!” shouted Tim loudly as he clutched his foot and toes immediately and began to hop around the living room in pain.
“I am so sorry.” said Sam, but it didn’t matter what he said. Tim was in too much pain and too busy hopping around the house to care what Sam was saying. Eventually, Tim collapsed on the couch and cradled his foot rocking back and forth mouthing “OW”. Occasionally he would rub his toes and foot, but the pain was still very intense. It really hurt to move his toes, but he had to in order to in order to hide his pain from his family. How could tell them he did something as dumb as kick a frozen turkey especially as a dare to his little cousin?

His phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a message from his mother saying they were almost home. Tim quickly got up for it had to get the turkey in the fridge, but immediately stopped when he tried putting weight on his right toes. So Tim walked on his right heel as he grabbed the turkey and limped over to the fridge to put it away. He carefully carried it over making sure not to drop it for if he dropped it from his height, there wouldn’t be anything left of the bones in his foot. Fortunately, Tim put the turkey away successfully. Unfortunately, Tim was not careful when he turned around and stubbed his toes of his right foot on the corner of the wall near the fridge.

The pain could have sent Tim to the moon. Instead, it shot his foot back into his hands as he hopped around the house in agonizing pain. But Tim only got as far as the front door when his family walked in and saw him clutching his foot in his hands as he jumped up and down in place.

“What are you doing?” asked his mom with groceries in hand. Tim had to think of something to tell her and decided to stretch the facts a little.
“Well,” he began as he stopped hopping but still clenched his toes. “When I went to take the turkey out earlier it slipped from my hands and landed on my foot and toes. It wasn’t from the freezer height, but from less than waist height. I just took it easy until you arrived home, and when I got up I stubbed my toes.”
“Oh my poor sweetheart.” said his mom with concern. “Just sit down and relax and we will get the groceries.” So Tim sat back at the couch and rubbed his toes intensely. For the remainder of the day, Tim took it easy resting his foot. He basically played video games and watched movies with his little cousin.

By the day of Thanksgiving, Tim’s foot felt much better. While the family made the dinner, Tim and his cousin were out front. Tim was just sitting down on the porch enjoying the weather while Sam was fiddling around with his toy sword and shied pretending to be some warrior. But it’s not really fun playing alone and Sam wanted his cousin to join him.
“Play with me.” Sam said to Tim.
“No thanks. I’m a bit too old. Besides, I’ll destroy you.” replied Tim.
“Na uh!” said Sam.
“You don’t think so?”
“Nope.”
“Really?” questioned Tim with a half smile. He thought Sam was joking. So he grabbed a spare sword and walked over to Sam. He let Sam do most of the work as he just blocked and moved out of the way when Sam tried to lunge at him. Tim didn't realize Sam was only playing games and actually had a plan. When Sam noticed Tim wasn't paying attention, he struck by not hitting Tim’s sword, but delivering a hard shot to Tim’s left shin.

“YEOW!” said Tim as he grabbed his left shin with his left hand and hopped around a little. “That hurt. No fair.”
“It’s fair.” replied Sam.
“Oh yeah?” said Tim then retaliated with a hard shot to Sam’s rear.
“OWWWWW!” cried Sam who paced around holding his bottom. Tim just laughed, but not for very long. Sam took the opportunity to use his sword and smack Tim’s right barefoot really hard.
“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” cried Tim as he dropped his sword to clutch his foot in his hands and hop around the yard. Then when Tim stopped hopping to rub his toes, Sam took his sword and whacked Tim’s left shin again sending him hopping around in pain some more. And before all was said and done, Tim’s right toes took a beating again, sending him hopping around some more and claiming defeat to his little cousin.
“Told you I would win.” said Sam proudly.
“You are lucky I like you,” said Tim rubbing his toes and shin while sitting on the porch. “Otherwise, I’d have to really hurt you.” But Tim wasn't going to take the defeat sitting down and decided to get some innocent revenge when Sam turned around giving his own victory speech to an imaginary army. But Tim wasn't quick enough to give Sam the kick in the rear that he probably deserved, for when he went to kick him Sam swung his shield around to his back and Tim’s toes connected with nothing but a hard plastic shield.
“OWWWWWWWWW!” cried Tim as his clenched his toes again in his hands hopping up and down. If there was one thing that Tim was thankful for that year, it was that his visits with his cousin and far and few in between, for his feet and toes probably wouldn't be able to handle Sam any more than the occasional visit.