Goat-Feathers

A wry, self‑deprecating narrator opens the story by admitting that honesty comes in short supply, especially when he’s busy collecting “goat‑feathers”—the pointless pursuits that keep a man from his true work. He likens these feathers to the countless side projects and social obligations that clutter his life, turning ambition into a parade of absurd distractions. The prose is lively and conversational, inviting listeners to laugh at the absurdity of a man who measures success in the weight of his own folly.

From his lofty day‑dreams of literary fame to a never‑ending roster of club memberships and committee titles, the narrator’s life is a comic tangle of responsibilities. He boasts of being president of an authors’ league, a publicity manager, and a member of every conceivable society—yet his telephone rings thousands of times a day with little to show for it. The humor lies in his earnest confession that, despite the chaos, he somehow keeps going, and listeners are left wondering just how many more goat‑feathers he’ll gather before the next chapter.