Something to Think About

Every two weeks we will be changing the ‘Something to Think about’ page and will include activities that might interest you or an article that might encourage you.

Andy the Goose

Have you heard the story of Andy, the pigeon-toed goose? One day a man named Gene Fleming of Hastings, Nebraska, was at his sister’s place and noticed that Andy the goose was trying to walk on the stumps of his legs. Gene found that the goose was born with no feet, and people named it “Andy.”

When he noticed that Andy kept toppling over, Gene’s creative mind went to work, and he began trying to fit Andy with different shoes.After several long and patient attempts, size O baby sneakers appeared to be the right proportion for balance. For comfort, and to keep the shoes from falling off or turning around, Gene stuffed the sneakers with foam rubber and tied the laces snugly. It took a while, but Andy eventually found himself walking, then running, and finally swimming. He is now up to size two in athletic shoes. Andy got so used to the sneakers that he has tried flying, and he can now soar with the best of them.

The shoes wear out in about a month, however, and because the life expectancy of a goose is around forty years, Gene was faced with the prospect of obtaining lots of sneakers. As you might have guessed, the Nike Company has come through, and Andy now has a lifetime supply of size two sneakers.

As Gene said, “We don’t always get to do something big for our fellow creatures, people or otherwise. But keep your eyes on the little things you can do because little things often make a big difference.ࡉ

-Chaplain Dave Bridgen