The Sunday Magazine

Chris Oke talks turkey about a stint in a processing plant - Personal essay

Hired during a Christmas rush, a young man is inspired to re-evaluate himself and the family business.
Hundreds of free-range turkeys sit outside a barn on a turkey farm. (Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

When Chris Oke decided to help out with the family business during the Christmas rush, he wasn't thrilled with the hard work. Preparing and processing turkey carcasses was not exactly how Chris liked to think of himself or his working life. Until one Christmas, when circumstances gave him a decidedly new perspective, one that inspired him to re-evaluate himself and the family business.

Chris's essay is called "The Christmas Kill."