User blog:Gojirob/Mrs. Cratchit and the Prize Bird

I posted the following question to Quora, and got this great response to a plot point I had pondered for years: 

At the end of 'A Christmas Carol' did Mrs. Cratchit have enough time to prepare that prize bird for Christmas dinner?

Here’s what the text of “A Christmas Carol” has to say. Scrooge leans out the window of his home and shouts down to a boy passing by:

“Hallo, my fine fellow!'

“Hallo!” returned the boy.

“Do you know the Poulterer's, in the next street but one, at the corner?” Scrooge inquired.

“I should hope I did,” replied the lad.

''“An intelligent boy!” said Scrooge. “A remarkable boy! Do you know whether they've sold the prize Turkey that was hanging up there? -- Not the little prize Turkey: the big one?”''

“What, the one as big as me?” returned the boy.

''“What a delightful boy!” said Scrooge. “It's a pleasure to talk to him. Yes, my buck!”''

“It's hanging there now,” replied the boy.

''“Is it?” said Scrooge. “Go and buy it.”''

“Walk-er!” exclaimed the boy.

''“No, no,” said Scrooge, “I am in earnest. Go and buy it, and tell them to bring it here, that I may give them the direction where to take it. Come back with the man, and I'll give you a shilling. Come back with him in less than five minutes and I'll give you half-a-crown!”''

Let’s assume, for the sale of argument: If the turkey began cooking at 11:00 am, it would be ready around 4:30 pm. While the typical mealtime was around 2:00 pm for that time and place, dinner would be a tad late — but it certainly would have been delicious!
 * The boy was exaggerating a bit about the turkey’s weight, and its actual weight was around 25 lbs.
 * It was around 10:00 am when Scrooge bade the boy to purchase the turkey
 * A turkey cooked on a spit over a fire would cook at a rate comparable to a modern-day oven set to 325 degrees
 * It took only an hour for the turkey to be delivered to the Cratchit household and be prepared for cooking by Mrs. Cratchit

<p class="ui_qtext_para">A link to the poster who answered: https://www.quora.com/profile/James-Keenley