Animal lover Dave Brooker goes everywhere with his beloved pet turkey that has followed him everywhere from the pub to the dentist since she was born two years ago on his farm in England.
He named the chick Trouble Version Two—or, T2 for short.
The unlikely duo’s story began when the turkey’s mother was sitting on a dozen eggs and the weather turned foul (no pun intended). The first two that hatched died, so he set up a heated brooder to get the turkeys strong enough to go back under their mum.
“T2 was the first one out, and I fed her for 10 or 11 hours. She was on her own, with me checking on her, and must have thought I was her parent.
The others all went back under the mother quite easily, but not T2.
“Ever since, she literally goes everywhere with me.”
Locals in Maidstone, Kent are often baffled as they see the 56-year-old sitting alongside T2 in his car when they stop at traffic lights, or when he feeds her a favorite snack—the sausage meat from a scotch egg—in the middle of a parking lot.
She can often be seen casually sitting in the White Horse pub with a packet of chips and very well-behaved.
“At the pub, she sits on her blanket and stays there. Unlike most dogs who would run around, you sit her down with a pack of cheese & onion crisps and she’s happy.
In the picturesque town of Maidstone, Dave Brooker’s unconventional bond with T2, his beloved turkey, paints an intriguing picture. They’re not just companions; they’re roommates who share secrets and snooze under the same roof.
“She’s more than a pet; she’s family,” Brooker admits with a grin. “There’s something about her antics that feels almost human.”
From T2’s comical bar-top strut as a chick to Brooker’s unexpected chats at the dentist while T2 charms the staff, their adventures defy the ordinary. And even at Tesco, where Brooker works, T2’s absence marks the only pause in their inseparable routine.
T2’s influence extends beyond their bond, introducing Brooker to a world of newfound conversations and connections he never anticipated. In this town, their unique companionship is a conversation starter and a heartwarming tale of a man and his turkey rewriting the norms of camaraderie.
In the vibrant ambiance of a local pub, T2’s presence stirred nostalgic chords within a Somali man, transporting him to the turkeys of his childhood farm. “She’s quite the spectacle,” he chuckled. “But there’s an allure about her, inviting everyone to share a moment.”
Dave Brooker’s routine rendezvous with T2 at Tesco’s car park often attracts curious kids, intrigued by their encounter with a live turkey. “It’s a glimpse into a lesser-known world of turkeys,” he muses. “T2? She’s my miniature velociraptor, an ancient charm in modern times.”
Recounting tougher days, Brooker confides, “Back in 2014, anxiety and depression were my shadows. This bond with T2? It was a lifeline.”
Their bond redefined Brooker’s holiday traditions. Christmas, once a time for turkey feasts, now marks the month when “turkeys take a hiatus,” all thanks to T2. In a mere two years, their escapades have painted a canvas of connection and resilience, transcending norms and kindling curiosity at every turn.