Giant Turkey Climbs On A Woman's Lap To Cuddle

We don't normally think of barnyard fowl as warm and cuddly, but our prejudices deceive us. We might almost understand a chicken schmoozing up to us, but a turkey? We'll have to see it to believe it.

So, here it is for all the world to see, and you can believe it now. He's quite a handsome fellow, with a mostly white coat, looking something like cookie dough ice cream. He’s on full display mode, all puffed up in that classical turkey look. His head is an interesting shade of blue. He will look quite different around the Thanksgiving season, but he doesn't have to worry about that quite yet.

He really likes the petting, and by the look of his comfort level in approaching the young lady and sitting in her lap, it's a pretty good bet that he has done this before. First a scratch on the back of the head, now the neck. Don't forget underneath the chin! Now for those long strokes down my wing feathers.

"Oooh, yeah! That's it. How 'bout behind the ear?"

We should all be as lucky as this bird. Long since are the days when farm animals serve only utilitarian purposes. 20 years ago we might never have even heard the term "emotional support animal". These days, however, it seems there is no limit to what class or species can surrogate for the warmth and understanding of another person. Indeed, animals of all kinds demonstrate behaviors remarkably similar to our own. In fact, we claim that certain kinds of behavior, such as hugging, are human in nature, but maybe they are just plain old nature.

This guy would be a welcome addition to a petting zoo, don't you think? He has probably ever known only love, food, and shelter. We can't conclude that the other members of his family share the same disposition. Animals, like people, come in different temperaments. But when you behave yourself and you play your cards right, you just might be lucky enough to earn favored status from the girl who runs the place.

We can usually get a good read on how people take care of their animals by how the animals act around the people who take care of the. This turkey, for instance, not only shows no sign of skittishness, but seems to impose himself upon the young lady as if he has doesn't need an invitation for a good scratch. What is a barnyard mistress for, after all, if not to be used? Her hands are free and she's not doing any other chores at the moment. The other animals can wait: they will get their turn.

The life of a domestic turkey, or any farm animal, for that matter is all about now. Tomorrow must not be taken as a given. If there's one thing we can learn from the turkey, it's how to wheedle yourself into someone's good graces and cash in on some attention. She owes you at least that much.