Life is funny. At the beginning of the semester I pressed my slacks so as to be sure to look professional in all of my classes. I went to bed early, kept organized, felt like I was in charge of my destiny. Now, at semester's end, I'm living on coffee, staying up until the a.m., wearing blue jeans for the second time and some days it's just easier to knot the hair and wear flip-flops. I feel quite achieved when I even know what day of the week it is! 33 days until graduation...it seems like forever! Now I'm off to find me one of those countdown widgets...that'll help me keep track! 
I woke up this beautiful morning to the sounds coming from a gaggle of geese flying over the house. They have such a distinctive sound. It brings to mind one particular goose that has made his residence at school for the past few months. The landscape is beautiful and one of the man-made lakes with a fountain hosts a variety of seasonal ducks and geese. In early Spring it is very common to arrive at school and witness new baby chicks getting a feel for the water. Their fuzzy little bodies stay close behind their mother and as the Spring progresses into Summer it is interesting to watch how quickly they grow. This year there must have been at least a dozen sets of families to watch. Passing by on a daily basis always provides an opportunity for observation and pleasant surprises. Of the many birds that flock there, white ducks and Mallards are the most prominant with a few groups of Canadian Geese. There just so happened to be one lone gray goose who made his stay seemingly permanent as he took particluar joy in earning the nickname "The Mafia Leader". In the beginning he lead his gang of three white ducks around the campus and across the busy street to the apartments. He seemed to take special pride in stopping traffic and he made it quite known that he ruled the roost in this particular gang. I was not so lucky to have frequent run ins with this goose of uncanny temperament and untimely chases. His followers decreased to two when one of them obtained a wing injury and could no longer follow along. He was never heard from again. The Mafia Leader was actually a very handsome goose with perfect features. He often moved quickly out of the water and into my path to display an attitude of daring confrontation. I began to think it was actually my black book bag he despised as it was often what seperated he and I. I learned to drop it with measured accuracy in self-defense so as not to be nipped by this aggressive feathered ring leader. The three birds always traveled together but the dominance of the goose, although entertaining on most days, kept me alert on my walk to and from class. I have often warned a parent or two who innocently had their toddler holding out bread that this goose might eat small children. He always had a cocky gleem in his eye as I walked past to let me know he was watching me and although he has chased me a time or two and provoked a little wear and tear on the bottom of my book bag, I still enjoyed his pompous and assuming role as my superior. It will be interesting to see if he returns this year. I'm quite sure I will know him from the others. I just hope his influence does not reach a population greater than two or three or we will all be getting to class a little quicker!
