Gertrude, a pure white domestic Goose: Operation Rescue Sacajawea Lagoon

By: Jeff Schlapp

Bob Schleicher will miss today’s column. Too bad…

On Thursday, I was busy sitting at one of the many picnic tables scattered about Sacajawea Park, watching William participate in tennis drills, being coached by Kandy and Lloyd Chain, and Carren Jacobik.

In other words, I wasn’t doing anything; I was relaxing. Taking part in my favorite pastime - watching one of my kids have fun. Then my morning was interrupted by a gaggle of Canada geese who moseyed to within five feet of me. The same geese that I have seen for the past four and a half years during the summer and fall, nearby at Sacajawea Lagoon.

But one goose stood out, a white one, from all the others. Because of its color and size, it seemed to dwarf the other geese. They soon turned and wandered back near the lagoon, and I decided to follow.