They named the gator.
Over twilight cocktails poolside, Suzy and Bill breathlessly spilled their story of how the scaly, reptilian monster had chosen and adopted them! They could not, between sips of dry martinis, explain the odd fascination. It was simply love at first sight.
Friends would feign interest, yet snicker behind their backs.
But of course, they knew a gator was not adorable and playful like a tiny gray kitten. Yet, as surely as he crawled up out of the lake and became a fixture on their finely manicured golf course, he crawled into their hearts. He must have been at least a ten footer or possibly twelve!
He smiled wide—showing his fabulous toothy grin--just for them. He sunned himself on the banks of their putting green. They waved and shouted; he smiled and delighted. Their new friend brought excitement and that special something into their boring, retired lives.
Gave them bragging rights.
They cackled on about cracking opening custom blinds and peeking out daily from inside their million dollar fortress. Six sharp. Prompt and reliable as a military sargeant, they could set their clocks by his arrival.
Then he ate their precious Muffin. The ninth hole sported nothing but a sparkling jeweled collar and a tiny pink bow. The gall of that insipid beast!
And the gator got a new name.
