Oh, You Silly Goose! It was Just a Dream... Author Has Chance to Share The True Story!

 Call me a silly goose all you want,
 but I know what I saw...
And it wasn't geese! It was ducks!
~~~

...We (my wife, two sons and I) were having the
best camping trip we'd ever had. Wildflowers
were revealing themselves. Grasses were high
and soft. Fruit blossoms were turning to leaves.
Mosquitoes hadn't hatched yet. Whales were
in Migration. We'd seen the Milky Way every
night. I was fast becoming a master at horse
shoes, and just when I though my shoe shine
bald head had gotten used to the brisk, moist
sea air, I had caught a cold,,,
~~~

We had picked the Camp Grounds at Wages Creek, just north of Westport on the Northern California Coast and having the best vacation trip, but then I got sick... It wasn't fair, at least in my opinion... And the family knew to just leave me alone...

  

"Qwaaau waaaaa oh yeah--aackaa wakaa wow!"

Wages Creek

By Jeffrey Hickey

The author declares this book one for all ages...and I must agree. After all, at one time or another we all take a vacation which makes a long time impression on all of us, or even just one of us... For Jeffrey Hickey, when he got sick, he had a dream, or maybe he was hallucinating from a fever...or, maybe, just maybe, he actually saw what he saw...So I've asked him to tell us what happened that day.

They faced each other; standing straight and proud, and
and they began what I assumed to be a courtship dance.
They stretched out their necks and began thrusting them
forward and backward and around their partner in fencing
and jousting motions. As they thrust their necks and beaks
they began what sounded at first like low, throaty mutterings,
but then, through the wax and the virus shrouding my ears,
I heard it...
~~~ 
"Qwaaau waaaaa oh yeah--aackaa wakaa wow!"

I so appreciate the opportunity to tell my story. Any time I think of it, it seems like it just happened yesterday.  I sometimes begin to wonder since I did try to find pictures of ducks with circles around their necks and have been unsuccessful... But then again, they might have had ribbons or bits of scarves tied around their necks--don't you think? I do know that they were in the midst of some ritual when I first saw them...or maybe just a mating dance...

Now I admit I was surprised that they didn't run away, but they didn't and they stared at me for awhile, then started again...

And would you believe we even began a conversation?! It seemed that these two were indeed a couple, but Esmeralda's father was opposed to their relationship...

That was the last draw. I was prepared to take anything he
said about me...except, making fun of my horseshoe playing.
Because I was good. Real good. And I didn't have to take
this from a duck...
I said, "Oh year, Gil? So you're an expert at horseshoes, huh?"
"Yes, I am," he replies, "And I gotta tell ya, you play
horseshoes...like a goose!"
Now, I'm not an expert at duck insults. But judging by the
way Esmeralda said, "Ohhh, daddy," and by the way Shlomo
hung his head and shook it in shame, I understood that by
calling me a goose, Gilbert had gone as low as he could go..."
~~~

Well, I admit I am somewhat opinionated so I started pointing out to her father that there was nothing wrong with their being involved...

And of course, we were soon in an argument...

I really don't know how it happened but that old coot, I mean duck, made a derogatory comment about my horseshoe playing...

Well, that was a mistake, because I'm the best.

But, of course, that's what he said too. Well, you know what two stubborn enemies are going to do, even if one is a man and one a duck...

"Tell you what!...Let's play horseshoes!


The horseshoe sites were already being used, so we had to wait...after all, we didn't think it would be a good idea to have others around when a duck was playing me...

Well, Sir, That works out fine because I think we must stop here. We always want to leave readers hanging, right?! But we are so interested in what happened to the ducks...who won the horseshoe competition...And how the story ended!

So, I do want to highlight that this book is also in audio form and although the book is wonderful as a standalone, the author has done voice characterization, added sound effects...and really makes it an all-around delightful sensation! The book itself is beautifully painted by Karen Kiser. In fact the cover would make an attractive framed picture for some lucky child's bedroom...

The next thing I heard was my wife Karen saying, "Honey? Jeff Sweeety. Do you want some dinner?"
I unpeeled the pillow from my head and opened my eyes. I saw approximately six of Karen at the door of our tent. I was very dizzy, and my face felt quite warm. I tried hard to focus on her as I said, "It was you guys who were coming?"
"What do you mean, honey? she replied. "We've been here for hours and you've been making the funniest noises while you slept."
~~~

I think the thing I liked most about the story was that the author took a routine vacation and made it into a family memory, not only for his own family but for all of us...and he made fun of himself so that we were able to laugh and make fun of what happened there! You and your children will be missing a lot of fun if you miss this one! Highly Recommended!

GABixlerReviews

(Writing on Behalf of Author for 

Illustrative Review)

Thank you so much for having me visit here at Book Readers Heaven. BTW, we went back to Wages Creek a year or two afterward, so thought I'd bring you some photos taken on that trip!

Jeffrey Hickey is an author, composer, performing artist, teacher, coach, father of twins and arguably the happiest married man on the planet. 

Those close to him know him as Chef-Boy-R-Jeff for his exquisite cooking. He would like more people to donate blood. He is gluten free, mostly dairy free, genre free, and finally agent free.

He and his family live in Inverness, California, with six ducks, one parrotlet, one cockatiel, one gecko lizard, and are often visited by such a varied assortment of critters (human and animal), they call their home Der Zoo. 

His published works include two adult novels, Morehead, and The Coach's Son, a children's book and audio recording, Wages Creek, and a CD of stories with music, Bats and Bones.