The story begins on Thanksgiving morning, with the narrator juggling side dishes while their partner, Kyle, is tasked with picking up the turkey. Kyle returns an hour later, looking frazzled after multiple stops and an errand with his mom, then leaves again to assist her with a car issue. The situation feels off, especially as Kyle is acting unusually distracted. Meanwhile, their dog, Max, starts barking incessantly, fixating on the turkey on the counter.
After 20 minutes of Max’s intense behavior, the narrator decides to check what’s going on. As they open the turkey’s wrapping, Max reacts wildly, and upon seeing something alarming, the narrator immediately calls the police.
