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After carving the turkey, the wishbone, a Y-shaped bone that carries much superstition, gets set aside to dry. Once the meal is over, two people make their wishes and break the wishbone. Whoever ends up with the bigger piece is said to have their wish come true and good luck for the upcoming year. – Generative AI

When my brothers and I were young, it was a given on every Thanksgiving that there would be an argument over who would get to break the wishbone and get a special wish by ending up with the larger section of bone. Being the oldest, I was the first to get ousted from the traditional competition. It didn’t make me unhappy because I knew it left me wide open for yet another prank. Indeed, I was the prankster of the family a proud tradition handed down by our father who was the King of Pranks. It was my forte.

As my two younger brothers were ready to ‘snap the bone’, I looked at that soulfully and said, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you…”

“Why NOT?” quipped the middle child.

“Because if you don’t do it right, the Turkanus will come for his broken bones and take you. You will never be seen again.”

“You’re full of it Jonathan! There is no such thing”, he retorted.

“Where does it take you?” asked the youngest bro fearfully.

“To a labor farm it runs where you will be in service to the other turkeys who have passed on Thanksgiving Day and you will shovel turkey droppings for the rest of your life!”

“Why?” asked youngest child.

“Because you don’t believe in him which is disrespectful.” I answered.

“This is dumb”, said middle child convincingly, “He’s making it up because he’s too old to do it anymore.”

“Then go ahead and snap away.”

“Then what do we have to do to not make him get us?” asked middle child.

“You must recite an oath.”

“That’s crazy!” said middle child excitedly.

“I’ll do it!” said younger bro, “I want that free wish.”

“OK,” I said, “Stand up and raise your right hand and repeat:

“I” (say your name), do solemnly swear to from this day forward to respect all turkeys and to thank them for feeding me on this special day.”

Reluctantly younger bro stood up recited the oath and basically bit the bullet.

Middle bro vehemently refused with every bit of his being.

So, the wishbone sat on the kitchen window sill all night and then the next day and then for a week and then for a month until our mother threw it away. Further, there was no interest in it for years to come. It became the longest lasting prank I ever pulled with the best result.

Or at least I thought so until Dad told me he was proud of my carrying on the tradition passed on to him by his father about the Turkanus he told me when I was about 4 years old of which I had no recall.

I sat there all day wondering if he was pranking me. Such is the dilemma of being a trickster.

Tippin my hat to ya’!

Holmes