G o o s t e r   a n d   M y   G a n g

It was Friday afternoon and as our kids arrived home from school, they charged through the house, past me, and hurried to the back porch. This was a special day, the 28th day - the long awaited Big Day. What was so special about the 28th day? Well, it was the day the goose eggs were supposed to hatch. They peered through the glass front of the incubator at the three big goose eggs that they had cared for so faithfully for the last month. Early each morning, before school, they had turned the eggs and sprinkled them with a light mist of water. This was done 3 times each day. The chicks in those eggs did not have a calendar; however, the two young foster parents who awaited their arrival faithfully had marked off each day on their calendar. All afternoon and into the night they kept watch. They knew it was almost time for the eggs to hatch because the peeping of the little geese inside the eggs could be heard outside the incubator. The excitement grew, but still no geese. Then just before bedtime came a little scream, "Dad! Mom! Come quick." My youngest daughter pointed to a little peck in one shell, and part of the shell was moving. I thought she was going to burst. My son stood there grinning from ear to ear. Sure enough, the chick was on time even without a calendar or a clock.

The big day had ended on a good note. I explained (to their disappointment) that sometimes it takes a day or so for the babies to get all the way out of the eggshell. Our little ones were tucked in for the night and you can imagine what their prayers were about. One more check on the eggs and my wife, my older daughter and I called it a day.

As usual, my day started at 5 AM and as I headed for my favorite chair with my morning devotional, I walked past the incubator. There, staring at me, like I was a mother goose or something, was the fuzziest, fattest, brightest yellow little gosling you could ever imagine. He stepped on the other eggs as he came to the front of glass. The other eggs were just getting good cracks in them but would still need some time before they would hatch. The kid in me just couldn't wait. Gently I took the little fuzzy out of the incubator, nuzzled him a little, and then headed for the children's bedroom. Kneeling down by my sleeping little girl, I slowly pulled the covers from her face and placed the little yellow ball next to her cheek. Baby geese love to nibble, and nibble he did. First her nose then her lips and then - a joyful scream and the whole house was suddenly in the room. There was no more sleeping that morning. It was all we could do to get our children ready to go to Sabbath School; and then they couldn't wait to get back home. They spent the rest of the day staring in the incubator and by that evening all three kids had a baby gosling to hold and name.

The geese grew big and were good playmates for the kids and served as excellent watchdogs at night. I really don't know if they ever did sleep. If a stray cat or dog came in the yard at night the whole neighborhood knew about it. These big birds would mutter sounds to each other at night and one night almost caused me to call the police because I thought someone was breaking into my tool shed. I'm certainly glad I didn't make that call and have to explain to a police officer that it was a Gooster not a Gangster?

Who actually named Gooster? I don't remember but the name stuck. Wherever the kids were, there was Gooster. When they picked those little cherry tomatoes from the garden- so did Gooster, except his didn't make into the basket. He was their playmate and protector. Neighbors got searched thoroughly before he would let them in the yard. We only had one rule for Gooster, and that was "Don't let the kids bring you in the house." I think he understood this rule but the kids found a way around it. With some real ingenuity they managed not to get me upset and still let the goose inside.

Sabbath afternoon was my time for some serious "lay activities" but long naps soon became very rare. The kids let the big goose do their dirty work. How could they go to the park if I slept all afternoon? They knew I didn't like to be awakened but how could I argue with a big white goose. More than once I was rudely awakened by goose nibbles all over my face and ears. The goose was so tall his head and neck would lay flat across my bed, just the right height to stare into my breathing nostrils or open mouth. When I looked down at that bird's body after that first rude awakening, I was shocked to see a well engineered, custom designed, diaper made from one of my tee shirts. We discussed all these things as we walked through the park that day. From then on I was allowed a short nap. If my nap was too long they would call in their nibbling, diaper clad friend.

A year or so later, we got a call to move to Tennessee and the search began for a suitable home for the geese. It had to be just the right place, similar to finding a foster home for your own kids. We got an offer from one of our friends who lived in the country to take the geese. When we visited their new farm we knew that the geese would love it. There was lots of land and a big pond with other geese and ducks to share their new home.

It was a sad day for all of us when we drove off and left our old friend, however, it was a good day for Gooster. He had only been there just a few minutes and had already found a friendly, a big, beautiful, white Goostress eager to share the pond with him. They stood neck to neck with their heads pointed to the sky and were honking madly, and he didn't even notice when we left. "Will Gooster be in heaven when we get there Daddy?" Every time we released one of our animal friends back to the wild or gave them to someone else, I was asked that question. With hope in my answer, I would tell our children that Jesus said that in heaven the little child, the lion and the lamb would play together. He could just as easily have said a goose and a lion. So if God gave us these little animal friends here on earth, why not in Heaven where we could be friends forever. The Bible says that we will be known to each other in Heaven as we are known here on earth. I always hoped that also meant animals. Surely there will be geese in Heaven and one of them will be named Gooster.

Burney Tompkins

    - Uncle Burney