The Boy With the Turkey Hand
Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving, Phillip “Turkeyhand” McCray felt that his unusually shaped hand was a blessing. During the Thanksgiving of first grade, however, he soon learned that being different isn’t something to be happy about.
He would never be thankful for that hand again.
It’s another thanksgiving themed comic! Did you make hand turkeys as a child? I know I did! Mine would end up starring in scenes of carnage, their eyes shooting forth lasers, their beaks wet with human blood, and the poorly drawn US army fleeing from them in terror. Truly great works of art.
In art school, we’re supposed to try to tap into the sort of creativity that one experiences as a child. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure someone would lock me up if I were doing anything remotely similar to what I did as a kid…
Thanksgiving is an odd thing to me. It’s a holiday with a message that I actually like and that has, in many ways, remained true to what it’s about. While its origins and legitimacy are somewhat questionable, it has, for a long time, been about family and giving thanks for the things that was have; a rare thing, especially in today’s fast paced consumer culture. Of course, you could argue that it’s a bit sad that lucky individuals born into a wealthy society gorge themselves on food while others in the world starve to death, but there’s a surprising amount of charity that happens around this time of year as well. While I could see it in that negative light, I am more inclined to believe that Thanksgiving is really what it is. A time that most people are thankful and aware of the fact that they are totally lucky to have what they do, even if it isn’t perfect.
When you think about it, the fact that we even exist is a phenomenal occurrence. For you to be here right now required an insane combination of events that can’t even truly be comprehended. It goes beyond just the chance meeting of your parents and the conception that happened thereafter. It encompasses every action that has ever happened on this earth and in this universe. Even the most minor change might have resulted in you never having been born. How crazy is that?
This Thanksgiving, even if you’re not that into holidays, take a moment and consider the probability of your existence, then consider the probability of those around you ever existing. Finally, I’d ask you to consider the probability that things would work out for you and them in the way they have and then realize that you have a lot to be thankful for, no matter what situation you find yourselves in. Try to hold on to that whenever you start to feel down about something.
No matter how tough life gets (because it IS tough for all of us at some point) you still have a lot to be happy about. Appreciate each small moment and embrace life, even if it isn’t perfect and easy.
Even if you have turkey-hands, you can still appreciate the life you’ve got.
Odin knows I appreciate all of you wonderful people that read and comment and tell your friends about this comic. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. <3
Discussion (14) ¬
Genius!
Not to be “That Guy,” but this comic is vaguely similar to the “Substitute Teacher” comic pf these Hark, A Vagrant comics…
http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=238
Also, the episode “Lisa the Drama Queen” of The Simpsons when the art teacher yells “This is terrible, your art is personal and wrong!”
And then it got too mainstream like Vampire Weekend so I totally stopped reading. Now I read my own webcomic because it’s so underground that nobody reads it…
haha Yeah I guess it’s the same sort of set up.
On the probability of your own existence and the existence of your loved ones around you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeZMIgheZro (Tim Minchin “If I didn’t have you”).
Sorry, couldn’t help but think of it 😉
I’m thankful for little K and all of the teachings of myth and legend that I was too bored to learn when I was in school.
Hah, atleast his classmates had his back
MY first grade class would of never let it slide, they would of called him all kinds of retarded turkey names, tried to eat him (in jest? who knows, kids are creepy!), and made damn sure he was ashamed of who he was
I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who didn’t like thanksgiving.
I guess there’s something innately appealing about a day of constant feasting.
Well, I never liked it myself. If there’s one thing I hate, absolutely despise (other than ****ing Styrofoam) it’s watching people eat. And hearing people eat. Ulgh.
It’s creepy, is what it is.
Black Friday -_-
That’s one of, if not the worst, things about Thanksgiving.
i think someone had the same imagination as you as a kid http://www.leadpaintcomics.com/2009/08/02/pilgrims-beware/
Thanks for the comic – loved it! In fact, I laughed out loud – and shared it w/those around me who wanted to know what I was laughing at.
I really appreciate what you’re saying about Thanksgiving. I especially liked what you said about “aware of the fact that they are totally lucky to have what they do, even if it isn’t perfect.” So true, and good to be reminded of. Thanks!
I feel sorry for all the kids… Teachers aren’t supposed to swear… especially around grade 1’s… O.O
I never made a hand-turkey, instead we had to draw around our hands and make them repressent something about ourselves… Or something. Whatever it was, I remember that I made mine into a stegosaurus.
HMM! Is it just me or are all of those kids left-handed?
If he was tracing his regular hand, then where did the turkey-like foot come from?