During World War II my sister’s navy pilot friend, on a flight from Florida, brought two baby alligators. Dad made a wire fence for them in the yard. Marge fed them raw hamburger. They loved ice cream. I teased them with a stick to open their mouths.
Fall came. Dad said, “Time for them to hibernate.” I believed him. Marge lined a wooden box with cloth. Dad nailed down the lid. I watched them bury the box by a tree. No ceremony.
Spring came. “Please, Dad, open the box, the alligators are hungry.” Reluctantly, he did. Two skeletons. I cried.
© Copyright 2016 Avis Rector. All rights reserved.
Avis Rector has lived on Whidbey Island all her life in the same house she was born in 83 years ago. After retiring from teaching, when she’s not helping her husband on their farm, she writes! Her new novel, Pauline, A New Beginning on Whidbey Island, appeals to anyone who enjoys reading stories of the Great Depression Era.