Geese can fly...

...they just seem to forget this fact sometimes.

We were waiting at a traffic light last evening to make the final left turn needed to get to our home. Four lanes of traffic were more-or-less halted so the side roads could empty when a solitary goose, after examining the situation, decided it would book across the road to get to the other side.

Part caused by overpopulation, and part caused by their bizarre will and attitudes, geese can often be found by the roadsides in our area. Usually they wander off the berm looking for food in the weeds or seemingly live in the grass islands that rest inside cloverleaf ramps to the highways. It isn't uncommon to see them walk along the side of the road, and sometimes right on the road, as if to challenge the cars as to who owns the rights to the land. It is frightening, but fortunately, most drivers concede to the birds and sway away from hitting them.

The "why did the goose cross the road" feathered-friend mentioned above was different. It deliberately waited for the traffic to slow, then immediately darted out in between the cars. His head was hunched down and it was running as fast as a fat goose could run. Cars turning from the side roads did have to slow for the animal as it trucked along with fiery determination to make it to the other side. Finally, it reached the curb, hopped up onto the sidewalk on the other side, and continued along like any other pedestrian.

And the fact that it just could have flown across the road, avoiding the stress it caused for both itself and us as we watched expecting the worst, just seemed to elude the creature completely.