Who Is Cowtown Pattie?

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I was Lillie Langtry in another life, and might have a crush on Calamity Jane.

Monday, February 19, 2007

And In the End

And now the time has come
And, my love, I must go
And though I lose a friend
In the end you will know, oh

One day you'll find
That I have gone
But tomorrow may rain,
so I'll follow the sun

When I first spied the small intruder two months ago, she was clinging to the drapes, blending her colors like an experienced painter-of-canvas, making excellent use of dna leftover from prehistoric ancestors. Quick she was, too, faster than a mere human could mimic. So I shrugged my shoulders and turned my back, relinquishing the little lizard to the confines of our bedroom.

Winter was coming on and the arrangement might work out well - let the spiders beware, I had engaged the use of a cannibalistic reptilian bouncer. Never been a fan of sweeping cobwebs from ceiling corners. I figured no spiders=no webs. Sweet deal.

Time passed and I occasionally glimpsed a wisp of movement behind the dresser or between pairs of shoes; a long tail giving away the hidey place unbeknownst to its owner.

On Friday night, our predator of pests was in full sight, lying between my side of the bed and the dresser. She made no move to run when I climbed into bed, though I did choose my steps carefully in order to avoid a squish.

Saturday morning she was still in plain sight; her little body thin and gaunt. The weather had turned for the better, and the sun was shining warm and radiant. I cajoled the Kman to scoop our boarder up and deposit her on a nice sun-warmed stone in our front flowerbed. Little thing made no effort to run; when placed on the rock she seemed to settle in and splayed her tiny front toes out in anole pleasure.

Kman and I watched her for a bit, then climbed into the jeep for a quick trip to the grocery store. Sitting in the car, we discussed how happy Ms. Lizard surely was to be in the sun. We glanced back to the rock where she still lay soaking up all those rays.

Suddenly a small shadow appeared on the sidewalk. In a sudden swoop, a mockingbird flew straight to the sunning lizard and in one quick beak grasp swallowed most of the skinny little body with only the tail and one leg hanging out like a strand of loose spaghetti.

I was aghast; Kman was open-mouthed for a second, and then we turned to each other in hilarity. (Yes, we both have a wicked sense of humor. )

Cue the commercial, Marlin:

"Just as Mother Nature provides for her feathered children, you can protect your family with Mutual of Omaha..."

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10 comments:

joared said...

Have you no compassion? First the poor creature was starved to death due to lack of sustenance in your home (read that -- no bugs and I'll bet with your cleaning, not even a spider.) No wonder the lizard was splayed out, unresisting on your floor -- too weak to move. Then -- to put it out on a rock unprotected, subject to the forces of nature.

I suggest for all those who aren't feathered they get in touch with Allstate right away where they'll be in good hands.

Bill said...

That's too funny. In our household the cruel cats find them and torture them to death.

Annie in Austin said...

Nice story, Pattie!

Poor little anole- we've been at Zilker Park when the blackbirds were hunting them...seeing half-lizards and the occasional leg was not decorative, but it was of course, natural.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Jonathan said...

Life is cheap in Anole Land.

Anonymous said...

I've heard that lizards are dangerous if you have cats, as they are poisonous when eaten.

Peter
Iron Rails & Iron Weights

GUYK said...

BAWAHAHAHAHA

I have a half dozen that live on my back porch..keeps the skeeters down and gives the birds something to chase..

Cowtown Pattie said...

Jonathan, do you have a blog?

Peter, I know some frogs make cats and dogs pretty sick.

Guy, I can hear you laugh all the way from Texas!

Bill, we don't have cats, and the dogs don't seem interested.

Annie, what, lizard legs are "out" this year?

Joared, your sense of humor might have just beat mine in terms of sheer unadulterated wickedness!

Anonymous said...

Well, life does go on now, doesn't it?

spookyrach said...

Great story! hahahaha!

I'm like you, I sort of like having the little fish baits around. Which works out good since they're too quick to catch.

That Janie Girl said...

Great story, Pattie!