We're Going Streaking: Day 19 -- A Fowl Encounter

Even when you've been friends with someone for awhile, there are still things you can discover about each other as you while away the miles during a distance long run. 

Today, I learned that Sole Sister M, for all her well-deserved swagger and backed-up bravado, has fears. More to the point, she fears ... geese. The scientific name for fear of birds in general is ornithophobia. The specific scientific name for fear of Canada geese is Branta canadensis specific ornithophobia. 

The name for it that I heard M give was "Ohhhhhhh GAWD!!! Oh, GAWD, there are GEESE OVER THERE!!" 

How I see geese: "Oh, hi! Let's give you a nice feathery hug! Great day out here; it's
nice to see you running near our home."


What McKenzie thinks of when SHE thinks of geese: 

My response to this was, "Huh?" I was slightly ahead of her, and just continued along the path at W.W. Knight Preserve, thinking I'd just go around the geese, or at least outline a safer route that she could follow,  as I believed the geese weren't going to attack me (I'm rather intimidating, you see). 

She turned and backtracked on the path, shouting out, "I'll meet you on the other side!" Of the pond, that is. I was still a little puzzled on what had just transpired, but I pressed on past the (now-hissing) goose dad and mom and babies, and she and I met up in the parking lot. 

We regrouped and did the woodland boardwalk loop, which spat us out onto the wetlands boardwalk. A mallard was standing on the wooden surface. "You don't have a problem with ducks, do you?" I asked. She assured me that ducks were just fine.  But there, at the end of the boardwalk was ANOTHER goose family. Knowing M was feeling the fear, I decided to surge ahead and try to LOOK BIG. I think I ended up looking like I was executing a derelict version of The Crane maneuver from The Karate Kid. I took the outside lane, closest to the geese, while M was able to skirt inside as I managed to intimidate, anger, or perhaps just confuse the goose family, which gave us no trouble. 

Yeah, it pretty much went down like that. 

Another woodland loop brought us back out, and the geese just hadn't gotten the hint. Rather than risk their ire once more, we ditched the path and lit out for the street using a back entrance. We hoofed it the mile or so back, happy that no harm had come from our fowl encounter and enjoyed the rest of the beautiful June day. 

Sometimes, when you are out on a run, you just need to be there for your friend, whether it means blazing a safe path for her to follow, lending a sympathetic ear, or just understanding that there would be no way in hell you should try to attempt a third pass by some pissed-off honkers. I get it. I'll have your back.  Because I tell you what, if there is a clown in full make-up that ever jumps in front of me during a run, I'm counting on M to throw herself between It and I so I don't die of absolute fright. 

M here.  Yes, this is PRECISELY how this run went down.  V nailed it on the head.  I was attacked (chased) by a goose when I was roughly nine or ten and I have not forgotten it.  All I know is that a pissed off goose hissing at me is nothing that I want to mess with.  I will continue to avoid them at all costs... And V, don't worry.  Clowns are a joke to me!  I will handle them for you.  Just keep the birds away from me!!

Day 19 - In the books!  And I can happily say I didn't get goosed!