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Dear Reader,
Geckos run rampant in Florida, (where I live), but that's okay because they're kind of cute. Well, maybe they have a face only a mother could love, but they eat bugs. So I'd be happy to make up the guest room for them, if it weren't for my cat Abby. She's a hunter, who loves to chase geckos and do things to them. By the time I spot a gecko in the house, it's still alive, but minus a tail. (Not to worry, their tails grow back.) I can understand Abby's attraction for geckos, because they're constantly on the move.
When my husband and I first moved to Florida, from (gecko-less) Wisconsin, it was a bit scary seeing lizards scurrying back and forth on the sidewalk, especially when I was out for an early morning walk. But then one morning when I reached for a shirt in my closet, and a gecko (who I've since named Fred) was sitting on top of the hanger, smiling back at me--it was love at first sight. So that's why now I do whatever I can to look after geckos, but sometimes I get a little carried away.
My husband and I had only driven a few feet to the first stop light in our neighborhood, and while we were waiting for the light to turn green, I noticed a gecko on the windshield--hanging on for dear life! The poor guy must have been sun bathing, fell asleep and didn't hear us start the engine. But now, wide awake and petrified, two people were staring at him through the windshield, noisy traffic surrounded him on all sides, and I imagined him screaming, "Yikes! How did I get here and how can I get off of this car?"
My husband's first thought was to turn on the wipers, so they'd push the gecko off. I pointed out that our new friend might get squished, or whisked off into on-coming traffic, so no solution there. But we needed to come up with an idea quickly, because any minute the light would turn green and I doubted if our gecko could hang on even if we drove slowly. I've never been fond of this particular traffic light, because it has to be the longest light in the entire city of Sarasota. But today, I was thankful. Because it gave us time to open the sunroof, then I stood up, leaned over and yelled, "Jump off the windshield and over to the grassy part of the curb--and hurry!" He was one smart gecko, because he did exactly what I told him to do.
Whew! What an adventure, our gecko friend was safe and secure, the light turned green and my husband and I continued on down the road. But then I got to thinking, (which isn't always a good thing for me to do). Even though the gecko was safely on the ground, maybe he was too far from home. Could he find his way back? Would his family come looking for him?
"Maybe we should turn around, dear?"
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com
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