Stories from the Neighborhood
The Great Jackson Gate Gosling Rescue
This is the story of the gosling who fell or jumped from the nest high on top of Jackson Gate Rock and was saved by a local hero.
Today I heard the story from two who know the story first hand. The first is Alicia who said Joe was working under the great rock when a gosling fell from the great heights and survived the fall but surely would not survive on the ground for long. Joe quickly scooped up the little gosling and climbed the great rock to return the little guy to safety. A happy ending.
The second person is Joe with a first hand account. There he was working below the great rock minding his own business when he said he heard a noise and looked up. Up on the ledge was a tiny gosling precariously standing on the edge. Joe yelled out. Go back don’t do it! Then the little guy made a great leap with a Quaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak! (that’s geese for Geronimo!). Stunned for a moment at the strange behavior, Joe rushed to save the gosling. With a leap worthy of an NFL tight end he dives and catches the gosling just inches from the ground. Now saved but now what? Joe looks up at the great rock and decides to return the gosling to his mother. It’s a perilous climb but Joe knows he must make the attempt. Up he goes, jagged and broken rock crumbling around him. One slippery hand full of moss away from a long fall. On he goes to the top. Mommy goose franticly squawking as Joe puts the gosling back in the nest. A perilous and dangerous decent and Joe is safely on the ground. Joe told me later he was out the day when the gosling finally flew the nest. The little goose was standing on the edge of the great rock and looked down at Joe and squawked Quack and a quack quack, quack quack (geese for Thanks pal you’re the best). The little guy jumped and this time after a few overhead circles above he soared into the horizon thanks to his pal.
Obviously both versions are plausible but I think we can all agree on the lesson here. Sometimes we all need a hand, hero or just plain Joe.