Alligator Space

Photo by Rene Ferrer from Pexels

 The woman who moved into our Florida neighbourhood, truly thought she was coming to live at Disney. Her house backed on to a canal and she was so excited to have an alligator who glided downstream every single day. She would go out and look at him. Eventually, she felt sorry for the alligator (stay with me, this is a true story) and went out to leave bread on the canal bank. 

Now this alligator liked to sun himself on this bank, so it was logical to leave the bread just where he could see it. She started to wonder just how close she could get, without being harmed of course. The neighbours were not thrilled. One or two told this sweet neighbour that it was illegal in our gated community to feed alligators. It was even in the bylaws that you could be fined for such behaviour. Nothing deterred her.

My walking partner and good friend updated me on this situation one morning, saying that one of the neighbours decided to take a photo of the woman doing the alligator feeding, and send it in to the powers that be. And she did. And the game warden (we lived in a neighbourhood that had a game warden) came to speak with this woman and explain the dangers of feeding alligators. He also reminded the woman that Disney was just over an hour away if she wanted to go live in fantasy land.

The woman, with great intentions but a soft heart just couldn’t stand it that the alligator might go without her special treats. The unofficial Neighbourhood Watch made more calls and the game warden came again. This time he brought our official alligator trapper and insisted the woman watch while this alligator was caught and prepared for transporting deep into a state park. She could see for herself that the trapper’s life was at risk just doing his job.

“You see, mam,” said the warden, “this alligator is now a danger to you and this neighbourhood because of you feeding him. If, for a minute you left your back door open, you could find him in your kitchen one morning. They grow to about twelve feet long around here.”

The woman was fined, but it took a few weeks before the neighbours would even speak to her and months before she was ever invited to attend their church. 

Having worked at Disney, I have done a reality check or two regarding what is fantasy life and what is real world.It’s hard sometimes, as I would occasionally like one to cross over to the other. I would like the kindness of Disney staff to be in every store in the world. I would like to dress up as a fairy god-mother and do the school run for my grandchildren. 

This Christmas, for instance, I think I’m starting to fantasise about feeding people. I want to decorate my table and produce a turkey with all the trimmings from the best British supermarkets. I long to have family and friends near me and give hugs and see their sweet smiles. Reality, however; means that even if I was at Disney this winter (no, no, no), I would need to wear a mask, wash hands all the time and keep my distance. Reality is that Disney is doing well according to friends who still work there, it’s the flight over that causes concern. Reality is I am too vulnerable for the flight. 

The reality of this season is that we truly need to live in reality and while I recognise I am quite capable of being a princess, I must not be a prima Dona. As a writer, it is a great temptation for me to insist that I have been isolating FOR MONTHS and only see relatives rarely and surely we will be the exemption even if most of us are in Tier 3. I can plead my case for being with people! I have one of those hearts that loves to feed people around a decorated table.

Father God, help. In the days ahead; help us to help each other live in the reality of the times that try us; so that we, our friends, family and neighbours may have the joy of health. Help us to appropriately connect or share what we have. Lord, in Your mercy help us to know how to help others, in reality. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen

Kathleen Smith: Her first job was at Disney World, Florida; working as an understudy to Snow White though she never actually got to be Snow White. Most of the time she was a medieval lady dancing in the five o’clock parade. Having written three factual how-to books, she is now writing her first novel. She fantasises about dressing up as the fairy God-mother and reading to the children in her local hospital playroom She also has a master’s degree in Social Policy.