Our Christmas Goose
On a cold morning that December, my brother Rick and I were sent to Uncle Tommie's on the other side of Little Mountain to get a goose for Christmas dinner. This long journey over the mountain was hard but worth it.
That morning, dark clouds were coming together overhead. I knew it was going to snow on the 1.
When we arrived, Uncle Tommie was already waiting for us. "Boys, I'm not 2 you off," he said, "but the wind is picking up. You'd better get the goose and head for home soon."
After a quick thank-you and goodbye I took the goose and we left. Halfway up the mountain, it began to snow heavily. I held the goose 3 to me.
By the time we reached the top of the mountain. it showed more heavily. And the wind seemed to blow straight through my coat. I stepped in front of Rick. "You must be cold. Open your coat!"
"Are you crazy?" Rick asked. "I'll lose what little warmth I have!" When he saw I was 4, he slowly opened his coat.
I placed the warm goose inside his coat. Rick sighed happily (舒了口气). My plan was 5 .
On the way down, I started to shiver (发抖). Rick said. "Dave. it's your turn now."
He passed me the goose. For a long moment, I just stood and 6 my freezing(冰冷的) hands on his body. We passed the goose back and forth (来回地) between us all the way. Finally, We got home.
Sitting at the table, we explained how the goose kept us from freezing. "We can't have him for dinner! This goose helped 7 our lives," I said.
Later, we named the goose Charley and he lived out his life in the yard, bossing around the chickens and another goose we bought to keep him company. A life as the most important bird was fitting for our 8.
