The strange and wonderful 25th Annual Point Richmond Turkey Shoot attracted record crowds yesterday. Starting at the Plunge, several hundred revelers demonstrated their thankfulness by parading with bells, whistles, drums and assorted beasts, around the business district, and concluding at the rear of Baltic Square. Shots of Wild Turkey (sparkling cider for the kids) were poured, and the epic poem was recited by a relay of three readers. The crowd chimed in on each refrain, “This is the Annual Turkey Shoot.” At the conclusion of the poem, everyone expressed their satisfaction by shouting “Gobble, Gobble, Gobble” in unison, and another Turkey Shoot was over.
Donations for Wild Turkey went to the Point Richmond Business Association to help pay for its various public music programs.
For the first time ever, the copyrighted poem is published at the end of this email.
You don’t have to live or work in Point Richmond to participate in the Turkey Shoot, but you do have to be a card-carrying nut.
After the final gobble, some retreated to the convenient and adjacent Baltic Bar and Grill to continue celebrating, and others made their way to a free community Thanksgiving Dinner cooked and served by volunteers at the nearby First United Methodist Church of Point Richmond.
The Turkey Shoot originated 25 years ago as a short respite for Hotel Mac Workers working on Thanksgiving. At the end of morning preparations but before diners arrived, the proprietors, Bill and Griff, led their employees down the block to the Spot Bar for a shot of Wild Turkey followed by “Gobble, Gobble, Gobble,” and then back to work.
The identity of the authors of the poem is lost in the sands of time, which is probably what they would prefer, but some of the verse bears resemblance to other poems penned contemporaneously by Tom McGowan. Legend has it that other of the content came from the late Walt Kirk. The more recent authors are apparently reluctant to be identified but may become known in the future.
RELAX ON THANKSGIVING? NO SIREE, WE DO HOOT,
CHEW T’BACCA AND SMOKE A CHEROOT,
CAN LIFE GET BETTER? IT IS A TOOT,
SASHAY ON DOWN TO THE TURKEY SHOOT!
THANKSGIVING IS A TIME TO RECONSTITUTE,
IF YOU ARE FLYING HIGH, OPEN YOUR PARACHUTE,
FLOAT ON DOWN, IT’S A TOOT,
EASY LANDING AT THE TURKEY SHOOT!
IF THERE IS SNOW, RAIN, ASH OR SOOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
PARADE DOWN THE STREET PAST OUR INSTITUTE,
IT IS OUR BELOVED HOTEL MAC, WITHOUT DISPUTE,
LINE UP! STRAIGHTEN UP! IT IS A TOOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
TRUCKIN’ DOWN THE STREET PAST OUR INSTITUTE,
MC GOWEN’S GARBAGE TRUCK WE DO SALUTE,
NO ESKIMO CELEBRATION FOR THE ALUET,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
ONWARD AND UPWARD WE DO HOOT,
TO A HIGHER PLANE, WE DO TRANSMUTE,
THIS IS BIG TIME BABY!--ROOTY TOOT TOOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
EVERY PERSON HAS SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE,
OF THAT THERE CERTAINLY IS NO DISPUTE,
CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING AT IT’S MOST ACUTE,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
FROM THE PLUNGE TO THE SPOT, IS OUR ROUTE,
BEAT THE DRUMS AND PLAY THE FLUTE,
DON’T STAGGER OR STUMBLE, YOU BIG GALOOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
DON’T DRINK YET, STAY RESOLUTE,
BUT A TOAST TO GRIFF, HE’S SO CUTE,
HE’S ALSO THE MAN WITH ALL THE LOOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
AND A TOAST TO THE POLICE ESCORT, TOO-BOOT,
THEY CHASE THE BADDIES IN HOT PURSUIT,
HEAR THE SIRENS AND HORNS GO TOOT TOOT?
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
JUST LAUGH OUT LOUD, AND RAISE YOUR BUMPER SHOOT,
DOWN TO THE SPOT WE DO SCOOT.
THANKSGIVING IS THE DAY TO HOOT,
BUT POINT PEOPLE DO NOT DRINK CHAMPAGNE BRUT,
OR EVEN VODKA, LIKE THE FANCY ABSOLUTE,
FOR REAL MEN AND WOMEN WILD TURKEY WE DO SHOOT!
OUR WOWMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL, OUR MEN HIRSUTE,
HOLD GLASSES HIGH FOR THE TURKEY SHOOT,
NEITHER A DRIP DO DRIBBLE, NOR A DROP TO BOBBLE,
READY NOW?---GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!
IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM,
LIVING IN THE POINT HAD NO PEER,
LIFE WAS WONDERFUL, ALWAYS A TOOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
IN TH EYEAR 2001,
LIFE WAS CHANGED BY THE TALIBAN,
BUT WE REMAIN STRONG AND RESOLUTE,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
HERE WE ARE IN 2002,
MARCHING FOR PEACE, DRINKING WILD TURKEY BREW,
BUT WE ARE EVEN STRONGER AND MORE RESOLUTE,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
UNITED AGAIN IN 2003,
WITH ALL OF US AND YOU AND ME,
LINE UP, STRAIGHTEN UP, IT IS A TOOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE IN 2004,
STAY RIGHT HERE, DON’T UPROOT,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
THEN COMES ARE WONDERFUL 2005,
AREN’T YOU JUST HAPPY TO BE ALIVE?
PLAY THE TUBA, PLAY THE HORN AND THE FLUTE,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
NOW IT IS 2006
DEFTLY, PELOSI TOOK OVER THE HOUSE,
ABSOLUTELY NOBODY STIRRED, NOT EVEN A MOUSE,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
SO HERE WE ARE IN 2007,
LIVING BY THE BAY IS REALLY HEAVEN,
ROLL ‘EM BABE: SEVEN COME ELEVEN,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
2008 UPON US ROLLS
A HISTORIC YEAR WITH HIGHS AND LOWS,
AMONG THEM, SADLY, OUR BARD OF JEST
SAILS BEYOND THE GATE, HE IS AT REST.
BUT LET’S NOT LET THIS TRADITION GO,
LET’S PASS THE TORCH, STAVE OFF THE WOE.\WE KNOW OUR BARD WOULD WANT IT SO...
PLEASE FRIENDS, DRINK UP AND SHOUT “YO HO”
THIS IS THE DAY TO HAVE A HOOT!
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
THIS IS THE YEAR 2009
FOR SOME, NOT SO FINE. I’M READY TO GIVE IT THE BOOT!
LETS ALL START OUR NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT.
LET’S START IT OFF WITH A PARADE.
…SO CLICK YOUR HEALS AND STOMP YOUR BOOTS,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
2010-ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER THANKSGIVING HAS COME OUR WAY.
WITH DRUMS, BELLS, HOOTS AND WHISTLES,
WITH ANIMALS, AND CHILDREN FULL OF LAUGHTER,
ADULTS SINGING SONGS AND ANXIOUS CHATTER,
ON OUR WAY FROM THE PLUNGE TO THE SPOT AFTER
TO LIFT OUR GLASSES AND TAKE A SNOOT
FOR I PROCLAIM,
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
THIS YEAR OF 2011 I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO FRIENDS,
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
SO GATHER CLOSE WHILE I “OCCUPY” THIS SPACE! WHETHER YOUR’E OLDER, YOUNGER AND EVEN THE BABY’S NEW.
I WELCOME YOU ALL TO POINT RICHMOND ONCE AGAIN
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
IT’S NOW TWENTY TWELVE SO PLEASE PERK UP YOUR EARS
OBAMA’S OUR LEADER FOR FOUR MORE YEARS
SO LIFT YOUR GLASS OR YOUR CUP OR YOUR BOOT
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
WE…ARE THE ONES YOUR MOTHER WARNED YOU ABOUT
AS A GROUP WE LAUGH AND DRINK AND SHOUT.
OUR KINGDOM, “THE POINT” THE LAND OF LORE
WE KINGS AND QUEENS RAISE OUR GLASSES…TO SALUTE YOU!!
THIS IS THE ANNUAL TURKEY SHOOT!
Thanksgiving; I’ve got an APP for that.
It’s 2013 and we’re together again
Sunny faced, reading poetry & drinkin’ the devils brew!
So, Welcome to the Silver Anniversary of the Certified, Dignified, Naturalized, Localized, Intensified, Optimized, and Glorified with shots of wild turkey…standing by…
This is the Annual Turkey Shoot!
GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE
|
