The Red Baron in Bodkin Creek

Knock. Knock.  Was someone knocking at my door?  I peeked through the window but did not see anyone.  I resumed my task of cleaning the bathroom when I heard the sound again.  This time I opened the door and looked.  There on my porch was the Red Baron.  He was three feet high with white feathers, a red comb on his head, and a very large red wattle, like a turkey; only, he was the largest nastiest goose that I have ever encountered in Pasadena.

I wrapped hard on the door to scare him.  He charged with his head down and rammed the door.  I made a growling noise.  He hissed.  I called for backup, my English Setter who was sleeping in the sun. He ambled to me and I opened the door.  Seeing the Red Baron, my setter picked up his pace.  The Red Baron seeing my setter did likewise.  He flew off with an angry honk as my setter bounded onto the porch.

My neighbor, hearing the commotion, called to me.  

“That goose will not leave me alone.  Everytime I come out of the house he chases me.  He has bit me on the leg.  I can’t run fast enough to get away from him.  I look to see if he is around; I don’t see him anywhere, but he spots me.  I need your dog!”

“Just call me and my dog will give that goose a scare,” I suggested.

This went on for several months.  I would get a call that the Red Baron was near her home.  I would let out my dog who would give chase and the Red Baron would fly away enabling my neighbor to go outside.  However, the goose did not stay away.  

Until, one day, I actually saw the Red Baron terrorizing my neighbor.  She ran helter skelter for her back door with the goose flapping his wings and his head down trying to bite her.  I let my setter loose.  The goose so intent on my neighbor did not see my dog approaching at high speed. My setter was only a few feet from the goose when the goose spied the rapidly approaching danger.   His normal swift flight was not possible with my dog this close. His lift off was sloppy and my setter leaped into the air with him.  They tumbled to the ground.  Over and over they rolled in the grass.  First the goose on top pecking at my setter.  Then my dog on top rolling the goose.  He would try to lift off when the ruckus would start again.  Then I saw wings flying high.  The Red Baron sailed over the creek heading for the Chesapeake Bay. We never saw him in Pasadena again.