I like looking out my window and watching them walk the grounds and stop traffic with the confidence of entitlement. They are beautiful and more important to me, they are monogamous. They find their mate, pair up and live the happily ever after that eludes most humans.
Last Friday, I was leaving to go to the bank when I saw, on the side of the road, one of the geese had been hit by a car. It was dead. That alone was sad, but the surviving mate standing on the side of the road thisclose to her, just about broke my heart.
He. Just. Stood. There.
On my way back from the bank, I noticed the city must have come and picked up the dead one.
Her mate still waited along the side of the road.
He was sitting, right in the spot she had been laying. I can't believe I started bawling. My heart got stuck in the middle of my throat. I could barely look. A goose! A poopy goose!
When I left work at 5:30, I was glad to see he was gone. But wait, he wasn't. He had moved up the berm, positioned himself under a tree, and was waiting.
I forgot about him this weekend, and as I went in this morning, really didn't notice one way or the other if he was there.
This afternoon, during the snow, I looked out the window. I swallowed as I watched him walk from one side of the drive to the other and back again. Once again, my heart was stuck smack dab in the middle of my throat.
I'm not sure who's heart is hurting more, his or mine. I never thought I'd get so upset over a GOOSE of all things.
Spring is almost here, he'll find his new mate. I know he will be fine.
