The Cool Box...Just a note...To hear the sound click the green arrow on the control above...

This tale was inspired by a trip to the vet. Leri had cut her tongue very badly and was unable to eat.

The only way I could transport her safely was to pop her into a soft cool box with its lid left slightly open .You know the sort, wheels on the bottom and a zip around the top, with a long handle for pulling along. She enjoyed her ride on the front seat of the car in this manner. Well The Cool Box turned out to be more than a means of transport. The following week she and Luke took a ride in it that became a real adventure. Through time they travelled, visiting many exciting worlds. This tale is about one of the worlds they stopped at during their journey through time.

There was the usual grinding noise as the wheels touched down, although on this occasion the landing was rather more bumpy than normal. Just as Luke and Leri thought they were safely on the ground, (whatever that ground might turn out to be), the Cool Box slid wildly sideways, then began to spin uncontrollably. Luke grabbed the controls using all his weight to prevent the Cool Box from destroying itself. His effort paid off, and they were soon at a standstill. Once everything returned to normality inside their ship the two geese donned their macs and welly boots, just in case there was anything awful out there, and opened the outer door.

"The air seems normal enough", remarked Leri taking a deep breath inwards," in fact there is a very pleasant smell of something". Sniffing deeply, Luke agreed, " Mmm, it smells like Lavender to me". They followed the smell through some bushes letting their noses be their guides. Suddenly they were in a clearing, and before them was a huge arena with thousands of geese all shouting and squealing at the top of their lungs. Well, neither Luke nor Leri had ever seen such a large gathering of their own kind before, let alone heard such a cacophony of sound. They were about to ask one Gander, seated on the edge of the row nearest where they stood, what was going on, when just as suddenly as they had heard the noise, there was complete silence.

Below them in the main arena Luke and Leri saw a very beautiful Chinese goose dressed all in green run forward to the centre of the arena holding a pole of flame high above her head. "Why it looks just like the Olympics", Luke said. "Oh, yes, and where have you been, matey", shouted the Gander on his right. " It is the Olympics, as anyone sensible would know". Having said this, he turned away from them, just in time to see the first of the competitors enter the main ring. Luke and Leri watched with fascination as two Ganders took it in turns to throw the javelin. The crowd roared at every throw, but is was very obvious that they all wanted the smaller gander to win, because the shouted much louder every time he had his turn. The big gander was a real show-off, bowing to the audience after each of his throws. " My what a conceited chap that one is", Leri commented. Her neighbour, a very old lady goose, heard her remark and tirned to explain," Why he is the champion, my dear", she said, " He's won the javelin for the last four years. Now everyone wants someone to beat him, and that's why they are shouting so loud for the smaller fellow". Just then the tannoy sounded and the names of the next competitors were called out.

"Am I hearing things", asked Luke, "Only I could have sworn I just heard your name and mine being called out" Once again the old lady goose answered him, "No mistake", she said, "It's your turn next. Off you go both of you and do try to win , won't you". Well, since neither Luke nor Leri had any idea what race or game they were entered into, they really did not think there was much chance of them winning anything, but, as Leri said, " No harm in having a go, it's only some games after all". They left their seats to run down into the arena, with the crowds yelling encouragement to them as they went. . "Come along, hurry up", called a scrawny grey goose. They'd not have realised that he was the games referee if it hadn't been for the bright red badge saying so which was pinned to his over large white T-shirt.

High above the stadium waved the Olympic flag. Not the one we know, but the original Greek Goose Olympic games one, (Commonly called the Ganda Down, even though it went up, to fly merrily on its long pole above everyones' heads). Anyway, Luke was sent out onto the field where a white circle had been drawn. "Here you go", said the referee handing him a blue discus made from a thick slice of dried coconut." But , but, I've never thrown the discus before in my life", poor Luke complained. "I've no idea how to do it, and since there is no chance of my winning, you'd best let someone else have a go". He'd barely finished speaking when the "boo's" started. All round the stadium they echoed whilst Luke stood in bewildered silence. "Up to you" he was told, but if you don't take your turn, your transport is forfeited"."What", squealed Leri, "Are you suggesting that if we don't join in the games you'll steal our Cool Box"? " No stealing involved", replied the referee," Rules of the game , you know. Noone, but no-one leaves with their transport unless they complete the task set for them". Hearing this Leri became very agitated indeed. After all, what if they lost their games; would it mean they'd lose their Cool Box too? She asked the referee about this and was gratified to learn that it didn't matter if you won or lost, as long as you entered and tried your best. She told Luke to go ahead, have a go, but not to worry too much about winning, since it would not affect their transport requirements.

Luke grabbed the blue discus, placed himself right in the centre of the circle, then copying all those famous discus throwers whom he had seen over the years on the Sports Channel of Trilivison, ( Goose TV), he swung round and round with the discus held close to his chest, gripping it tightly with his beak. After the third turn he swung his neck way out, stretching as hard as he could, then he released his discus in a mighty throw. It flew through the air in an arc which took it over the heads of many of the crowd, then it bommeranged back onto the field to land some 100 metres from where he stood.

Noone had ever seen anything like it before at the Olympic Games. An almighty roar exploded as the crowd showed their appreciation of this truly amazing throw. " How on earth did manage that", Leri asked him? " Honesly , Sis, I've no idea. It was a fluke. All I did was throw it in the usual way". They both had no further time to discuss Lukes' miraculous throw because the loudspeaker once again came on saying, "Will Miss Leri Goose please go to the Starting Line for the relay race". "Oh heavens , I'm on now and let's face it Luke I've never been any good at running. Why I've waddled badly ever since I was a baby", she called as she ran off to where someone was waving a flag and calling her name. In a matter of minutes Leri was lined up at the start ready to begin her part in the relay race. She had been given a bright green baton made from a young bamboo stick which she now held tightly in her wing tip feathers. The crowd could all see how nervous Leri was by the shaking of her whole body as she stood there waiting for the starting pistol to bang. Then the gun sounded so loudly that Leri dropped the baton and hurredly bent to pick it up. By now all the other contestants had begun running and were well ahead of her, but Leri continued anyway. She ran as fast as her little legs would carry her, but she could not quite catch the others up. I expect her waddle held her up a bit, however she kept going and gradually the gap between them all began to close. " I can do it, I can do it", a breathless Leri kept saying to herself, and believe it or not, with that baton held out in front of her , she put in a final burst to finish second! Well, once again the crowd were roaring when she passed the baton on to the waiting goose who grasped it and ran hell for leather down the track. By now even Luke and Leri were caught up in the excitement of the games. "It's amazing how exciting it becomes when you are personally involved", Luke observed when the games were finally over, "I never got this excitied when we watched the Olympics before". Leri agreed.

They were both invited to attend the party for all the winning contestants that evening. There was dancing and singing, plenty of food, as well as the most scrumptious nettle punch. So it was a rathet tipsy Luke and Leri who finally arrived back at their Cool Box to wend their way onwards through time to their next adventure.

I do hope you have enjoyed this story. It is available as an E-Book on my download page.