This image is compliments of http://thegraphicsfairy.com
There are times when you see something you like and you must grab it and put it in a post immediately. I like the Fortune caption. It does seem appropriate for Thanksgiving except for the stocking, but I think it would be an alternative to the ever popular Elf on a Shelf. This is a Top Hat Guy in a Stocking. Think it will catch on? I like the concept of a good luck guy more than a tattle-tale elf, but that’s only my personal opinion.
This guy reminds me of the Monopoly Man, but he’s younger. Now there’s Edgar Bergen’s Charlie McCarthy “dummy” he made popular. Huh? You may be saying. Yes, it was quite a long time ago so I’ll show you a picture:
Do you see the resemblance? Yes? I thought you might. In any event, this Top Hat Guy in a Stocking caught my eye when I was looking for another vintage picture.
See how easy it is to get side-tracked?
I can’t tell you how many vintage pictures I’ve gone through . . . didn’t find the one I was searching for, but this one works better with the story I planned to tell you.
Come back here!
My father’s Uncle Al was a real story teller. He had some great adventures growing up. He was the youngest in his family, so he was always competing with his older brothers and sisters. He decided he was going to supply the Thanksgiving Turkey for the family one year. Well, I have to tell you that Uncle Al’s best intentions sometimes didn’t work out as planned.
You see, he and a friend met a man at the train depot. The boys could always find work for a few dimes around there. I know a few dimes doesn’t seem like much money, but back it those days a dime went a long way.
The man told them that a load of turkeys was coming in and he needed to hire some boys to take them to the various butcher shops in town for him. They were going to get a quarter for their efforts.
In those days the turkeys would be delivered alive and the butcher . . . well, the butcher did what a butcher does to prepare turkeys for his customers to buy and cook for Thanksgiving.
Uncle Al had a big wagon his brothers made for him with tall wooden planks built up on the sides. He was sure he could get a few turkeys in there and be able to earn his quarter, but his friend was able to get a real horse drawn wagon they could use. The only problem was the friend’s father and older brother came along.
Now, Uncle Al was content with his quarter and his wagon, but the friend’s father was haggling over the price. And in the meantime while the men were talking, the older brother let the turkey’s out of their cages.
As you can imagine, turkeys were running all over the place.
The man yelled, “Catch ’em!”
Uncle Al took off pulling his wagon behind him. He was determined to catch a turkey or two. Even if the depot man wouldn’t pay him, maybe the butcher would . . . or at least dress one for their Thanksgiving dinner.
Those turkeys give him a mighty chase. Uncle Al was exhausted. He rested beside his wagon to catch his breath.
From under some bushes on the side of the dirt road, he heard some faint gobbles. He watched. He waited. He slowly got to his feet.
Not one, but two turkeys came at him!
He grabbed one and put it in his wagon and chased after the second one.
The turkey in the wagon was making lots of noise. Uncle Al stopped. The turkey he was chasing stopped. Then the strangest thing happened. The turkey he was chasing came up to the wagon and was trying to get inside. Uncle Al picked it up and went on his way down the dirt road for home with his two turkeys.
All thoughts of a Thanksgiving turkey dinner were forgotten. Those two turkeys lived in the back yard for many years.
Just for the record, Uncle Al did bring home a turkey for Thanksgiving . . .
I hope you enjoyed the story and can appreciate the little Top Hat Guy in the Stocking. I’ll work on figuring out how to make something with him. You may be way ahead of me 🙂
May you have a Happy and Prosperous Thanksgiving!
