a turkey metaphor

I sometimes feel like I’m living in a zoo. Last week, as I was praying in my room, I observed a feeding. The humungous male turkey (we know it’s male because it has a long, dangling nose), which is tied up to a tree next to our room, received his breakfast when Faz brought him a plate of rice. As soon as she set it down, all of the chickens ran over to peck away. The turkey didn’t have time to react to the chickens’ arrival because Faz quickly picked up a handful of rice from the plate and scattered it a few yards away. Immediately, 6 chickens turned and ran towards the new food. It was amazing how distracted they were. The chickens didn’t seem to realize that the turkey had his own plate of food until their supply was diminished, at which point a few of them snuck over to the turkey’s dish. When they came within three feet of the turkey, the turkey picked its head up and made a loud scary turkey bark. The chickens jumped backwards and the turkey continued his meal. After a minute some other chickens tried to sneak in and were also scared away. After the turkey was full, he picked up his head, called to the chickens, and moved away from his plate. The chickens moved in and began eating the turkey’s leftovers. During this time, the turkey watched the chickens eating from his plate. After about a minute, the turkey decided he wasn’t finished eating, and moved in again, scaring the chickens away. After eating a little bit, the turkey again called over the chickens who then finished the plate.

            As I watched, standing in my talit and tefilin, I was amazed at the scene before me. Was the turkey sharing his food because he was full and didn’t want any more or because he wanted to share out of the goodness of his turkey-heart? Would he have finished his food if there were no chickens near him? How did he feel eating alone? While I am sure that I am mistakably ascribing human emotions to the turkey, I couldn’t help but ask myself if maybe the turkey also knows what it is like to feel different than the others with whom you live. Like the turkey, I am also treated differently quite often. I am treated differently because of my skin color and the fact that I come from the West. The turkey is treated differently for a number of reasons. First, it is five times the size of the chickens. Second, if the chickens didn’t get separate food, they most likely wouldn’t get close to the plate.

So the turkey has challenged me. Should I continue to take what I am given and feel like I am a guest while I give back in appreciation? Should I give up my special treatment and give everything I receive to others? One of the reasons we are moving to our own apartment is to be able to greet our own guests. However, in our house, we will hopefully be giving our guests the same food that we are eating- unless, of course, our guest is five times our size.