Duck goose, duck!!!

Looking at the title you might expect it to read Duck, Duck, Goose. For those of you that aren't familiar Duck, Duck, Goose it is a common children's game. You have a circle of kids sitting on the ground. One child walks around the circle tapping each child on the head while saying Duck, Duck, Duck, Duck, then the child taps someone and yells goose. The sitting child has to get up and chase the first child around the circle in an attempt to catch them before they reach the open spot in the circle and sit down. Why ducks and geese? Generally if you bother a duck it will run away from you. Try that with a goose and you just may get surprised. One October day both a goose and got surprised.

My two year old daughter and I were playing at a beautiful park in northern Illinois. My daughter decided to toddle away from the playground toward a walking path that circled a small lake. The lake was teaming with Canadian geese. In fact there are so many geese in that area now the are considered pests. In an effort to get rid of the geese the city has even brought in Border Collies to harass them into choosing different location to put down roots. As I caught up with my girl I noticed some people to my left. Near the pond there was a boathouse with a collection of scruffy young men. I'm embarrassed to admit my tendency toward vigilance."Hmmmmm... what are these guys up to?". I quickly assessed that they were not any sort of threat. Just as quickly as I determined that I heard hissing and spitting and the sound of someone rushing up behind me. Without thinking I turned, engaged, and threw a round kick connecting with my assailants head...and bill. My attacker was a big male goose that did not like my daughter's proximity to the pond. It was a TKO. The goose staggered back to the pond and his flock. Lets just say the young men weren't sure if they should laugh or be afraid. In a short time the goose got his bearings back. I really did not intend to harm the goose. I really had no intention at all. I guess you could call it Gooshin, or maybe Duck Goose Duck.