Angry Birds

When Jake and I were getting ready for school early one morning, we noticed a plethora of geese outside the condo window. The critters occasionally wander around our little court area, but typically they stay in the pond across the street. I am not fond of them, mostly because they peck around in the neighborhood flowers and leave behind icky goose droppings. When Jake and I went outside to leave for school, I told him to stomp his feet to shoo the feathered fiends away, assuring him that they would just scamper off. On this particular day, the adults were obviously teaching the youngsters how to be intimidating & annoying because as soon as we stepped onto the driveway, the geese all ran towards us. Fast. Jake and I freaked out and jumped into the CRV with dozens of the birds uncomfortably close behind. The flock moved aside as we backed into the street, but I was concerned that they would still be mingling when I returned home after dropping Jake off. It was garbage day and I had no intention of tangling with the varmints while I hauled my trash to the curb. Thankfully, they were gone when I got back, and I brought my bags & recycling out without being attacked. They did leave eleven piles of poop in our driveway, which I cleaned up and deposited into a trash bag. So gross. I have been wondering ever since that day why we need geese in the world. They brought down Sully's airplane, for goodness sake. Decades ago, Canadian geese were near extinction, but they made an incredible comeback due to conservation programs. Experts today admit that efforts to save the huge birds have been too successful and the results are not good. I don't have any answers to this dilemma. I only know that I don't really like geese.

Twenty-seven or so trouble-makers were on the prowl at 6:00 a.m. (That is our neighbor's trash. I hadn't put ours out yet.)