while strolling on a walkway in a huge grassy area around a pond last sunday afternoon, there were several, not a lot, canadian geese spread around the area, alternately eating, crapping, and just hanging around.
coming over my right shoulder a foot or so away honking frantically was an adult canadian goose. it was like a scene from hitchcock's the birds. this thing hovered in front me, beak opening, huge wings as big and noisy as sails, flappingand as it snarled at me. i had visions of my eyes being poked out. how could i defend myself against a large flying attacking goose? visions of my eyes being poked out deep to the sockets overwhelmed me.
what did i do to enrage it? there was no food in my hands. was it enraged by the sound from my headphones?
a tennis racket is great for bats, but i'm not sure if it could have thwarted the goose. a baseball bat would have been great, but geese are an endangered species. to an animal rights activists, my self defense plea would have been a weak argument.
the suddenly snarling enraged flapping honking beast scared and puzzled me. it, wings extended, was huge. never in my life had i experienced such an unlikely and unexpected confrontation. i did a fast fifty foot burnout sprint to my left, fully expecting to be followed.
looking back over my shoulder, the irate goose had not followed me, and now had other interests.
i thought my right shoulder was going to be yanked out of socket by my sudden change of direction.
the geese have always been my friends, and continue to be. people go nuts. i now assume that canadian geese do, as well.
your suggestions for myself and others for the next engagement, if there is to be one, are most welcome.
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