This story was originally published in Day One, a weekly literary journal dedicated to short fiction and poetry from emerging writers.

Syd Davis learned how to roast a perfect turkey when she was a girl. Now on her own and with bills to pay, she works at the Butterball Turkey Emergency Squad, fielding phone calls from folks in desperate need of turkey-prep advice. As she faces another Thanksgiving, estranged from her family and pining after her married best friend, she receives a series of calls that force her to confront the reality of her deepening loneliness.

With turns both humorous and heartbreaking, Butterball explores one woman’s hopeful attempts to connect during the holidays.