Manchester Goose Stops Traffic

After reading a story in the Hippo about a little old lady who has a closet full of clothing for her 80 pound goose I became her biggest fan because I love unique people. Some may choose to express their personality with tattoos, piercings, or outlandish hairstyles while others prefer to make a statement by dressing their goose in clothing that corresponds with the season or a specific holiday. 

After driving by repeatedly in order to get to a client's home I finally knocked on the woman's door to ask permission to take a few pictures and she was delighted to oblige.

As a New Englander, it is considered impolite to drop by someone’s house unless you’ve been invited or if you’ve made arrangements with the owner ahead of time. Even though I’ve followed the rules for over thirty years, I disregarded protocol and rang The Goose Lady’s doorbell last Friday afternoon. When she answered the door I quickly apologized for interrupting her day but I was eager to meet the woman who turned her goose into a kitschy landmark. Luckily, she was more than happy to allow me take some pictures and explain why dressing her goose was so important to her and this is what said: 

While residing in Florida, The Goose Lady and her husband routinely took walks throughout their neighborhood and during one of their walks they were surprised to see a well-outfitted cement goose displayed in a neighbor’s front lawn and they were even more surprised to see the goose wearing a new outfit on a daily basis. 

The Goose Lady’s husband enjoyed the lawn goose so much that he purchased one for his own yard and together they discovered a number of websites that sell expansive lines of lawn geese clothing including lawn goose sewing patterns. In no time at all, the goose was the proud owner of a full closet of clothing for every season, holiday, and mood.

The Goose Lady’s husband enjoyed dressing the goose every morning until he passed away ten years ago and because The Goose Lady had relatives in New Hampshire she packed up her things, along with her 80 pound goose, and moved into a lovely home on the north end of Manchester. 

Even though her husband died ten years ago she continues to honor him by dressing his cherished goose as much as possible. I suspect the goose brings back memories of happier times with her husband and I believe the goose provides a great deal of comfort when she needs it most.