A match of man and goose - Maria the Goose watches out for her friend, Dominic - w/pic

[Kadie]

A match of man and goose
Maria the Goose watches out for her friend, a retired investor who worries what will become of her when the lake is drained for renovations.


Maria, a graylag goose, chases Dominic Ehrler as part of their regular routine at Echo Park. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times / February 13, 2011)

By Bob Pool, Los Angeles Times
February 13, 2011

The honking you hear along Park Avenue in Echo Park isn't coming from motorists.

It's just Maria the Goose, out for a spin with her friend Dominic Ehrler.

Ehrler is a retired investor who was befriended by the web-footed waterfowl 10 months ago at Echo Park Lake.

"When she first started following me around like a dog I got goose bumps," Ehrler said. "David Foster, one of the parks people here, finally introduced me to her. He said, 'You know you're being stalked! Her name is Maria.' "

These days, Maria greets Ehrler each morning about 8 when he rides his bright red motor scooter down the hill from his Figueroa Terrace condo.

Then she leads him around the lake as Ehrler pulls out a bag of tortillas retrieved from a store trash bin and feeds the park's other geese.

more...

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-scooter-goose-20110213,0,6984760.story

[midnight]

1. Very sweet....

[BrklynLiberal]

2. That is so very, very cool.

[RandomThoughts]

3. They made a movie about that.

It was about the story of people helping birds get home. Directional nouns are part of interpretation.

Fly Away Home Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCjlubLJcxk

It is a metaphor.

[mike_c]

4. great story, but the pic is AWESOME....

Wow. I love that photo.

[CreekDog]

5. I didn't know they were draining the whole lake!

I realize it's manmade but the critters that live there don't know it's not natural.

I hope he can get her to follow him to Silver Lake or something.

[CreekDog]

6. "They're supposed to collect the birds and truck them to another lake. I plan to follow her there"

"...when you have a friend like this you don't want to lose her," he said."

:applause:

sounds like she picked the right guy to befriend. :D

[Kadie]

8. That part really got to me too.

They have a very special friendship.

[ellenfl]

7. i have a goose buddy at my lake. it makes my day when he comes

running when he sees me. of course, he knows I come bearing goodies but I still love the reception.

ellen fl

[Kadie]

9. That is lovely.

Special friends.

:)