Comment

Comment by Sara Louise Russell on December 11, 2007 at 8:29pm

Thanks for this whimsical and touching Canada goose story, Ricky! Enjoyed.... and of course, all the best self-respecting Canada Geese shop at Bloomingdales while in the USA, or Harvey Nicks whilst at this end of the pond. Quelle horreur that they should ever settle for less...

Comment by Ricky Fico on December 11, 2007 at 8:13am

I'm not an ornithologist for Christ's sake, although at times, I surely wish I were as it would be nice to help settle Mother's nerves and alleviate her worries by expressing an innocuous, perhaps scientific explanation as why the geese aren't socializing with the smaller gull-like birds who frequent the pond right outside the back door. Concerned as always, she shakes her head, puts down her binoculars, looks at me with that serious look of hers and says, "Those poor geese. They seem like they're afraid of those smaller white birds. The geese won't go over to the other side of the lake like they did last summer. The poor geese. I bet those smaller white birds had scared them off. Why do you think there's this division?"

I really don't have an answer. I can philosophize about it until I am red, white and blue in the face but Mother still wouldn't be satisfied. No, the only way she'd be satisfied would be if the geese and the smaller gull-like birds engaged in a square dance together or spent the day sitting along the banks next to each other discussing the weather or perhaps the people's politics.

Mother, oh Mother. . .yes, I too, am a great lover of the animal kingdom and am avidly concerned about the welfare of the Canadian geese and am equally concerned about their apparent dismissal from the other side of the pond but I think all those birds out there will be just fine.

"Mom, I bet come this summer those birds will all get together and throw a block party."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes, Mom."

Good enough for now I suppose. I returrn to what I was doing. Mother returns to what she was doing. Back with the binoculars. A few minutes later. "Now there are no geese out there. That's strange. Ricky, why do you think the geese left?"

I come back into the living room, look out at the pond through the sliding glass door. Yep, she's right, the geese are gone. "Well, maybe they went shopping!"

"I wonder where at."
Ricky J. Fico

from my Prodigal Son Chronicles: (Taking Care Of My Mother Who is Slipping Into Dementia)