"Sharon and the Geese" 
A Mother's Day Story 
by
 John Watts

Today, Mother's Day,  we were driving back home to Gloucester from York, PA after Jake's earthdog trial. We were driving through Waldorf, MD on Route 301. Route 301 at that point is a six lane 45 mph road, divided by a raised median with grass in the middle.  There are stop lights every few blocks.

We were driving south when we spotted a pair of Canadian geese WALKING across the road.  They had already crossed the median and were headed into the north bound lanes when we spotted them.  Cars were slowing for them to avoid hitting them, and I thought it was strange they were walking until I spotted one gosling with them.  Since he couldn't fly they were escorting him across the road.  I also though it was strange there was only one gosling. 

It was then that I saw there were three other goslings, still on the south bound side of the road.  They were running along the curb at the median, and every now and then they would stop and try to leap up on the curb, but couldn't make it.  I was in the lane next to them, and there was the beginning of a left turn lane at that spot, so I pulled into the left turn lane, pulled up beside them, stopped, and tried to grab them, but they were way too fast for me.

Suddenly Sharon was out of the passenger side running after them.  At this point cars were stopping as they saw what was happening.  Somehow she managed to grab two of them, but the third one came back my way and got by me again.  He started back across the road away from the median with Sharon hot on his tail, all the while clutching two other goslings to her chest.  He went under a truck, out the other side and down the grassy hill on the side of the road.  Drivers of the stopped cars began shouting encouragement and pointing to where the gosling was.  Somehow Sharon was able to corral the third gosling and came back up the hill with all three now clutched to her chest.

Back she went across all six lanes of traffic with the goslings, stopping traffic on BOTH the southbound and northbound sided to let her across. As she began searching for the parents, I had to get in my truck and go to the next light, make a U turn and come back up the other side to get to where she was.  While searching for the parents behind several fast food joints, drivers in cars on the parking lots were shouting and pointing directions to Sharon about which way the geese had gone. 

She was finally able to locate the adults.   She went over and set the goslings on the ground near them.  The babies scurried over to their parents and the family was safely reunited.

And they lived happily ever after!

Let me tell you, that is one special and exciting woman I married!