He reminds me of the lesson I learned while baby-sitting my best friend's pet alligator when I was 17. Ralph, it was named. My duties while my friend was vacationing with his family were simple: Adjust the heat lamp that kept the 18-inch gator warm. Drop in some pork kidneys for food. Ralph, however, was unimpressed by my charity. Try as I might, the gator would just stare at me with watchful, expressionless eyes. But I was an optimist back then. I believed in my heart that I could win Ralph over with kindness. So one day I decided to make a show of friendship. Talking to Ralph in soothing tones, I slowly reached in my hand in give the gator a kindly pat on the head. Snap! Ralph was a strike of green leathery lightning, barely missing my fingers with his prehistoric teeth. That's when it hit me. Some creatures are beyond the reach of affection. Some creatures are cold-blooded by nature/Doug Clark, SR. More here.
Question: Any last thoughts on Duncan before we turn the page and try to forget about this monster?
D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.
while baby-sitting my best friend's pet alligator when I was 17. Ralph, it was named. My duties while my friend was vacationing with his family were simple: Adjust the heat lamp that kept the 18-inch gator warm. Drop in some pork kidneys for food. Ralph, however, was unimpressed by my charity. Try as I might, the gator would just stare at me with watchful, expressionless eyes. But I was an optimist back then. I believed in my heart that I could win Ralph over with kindness. So one day I decided to make a show of friendship. Talking to Ralph in soothing tones, I slowly reached in my hand in give the gator a kindly pat on the head. Snap! Ralph was a strike of green leathery lightning, barely missing my fingers with his prehistoric teeth. That's when it hit me. Some creatures are beyond the reach of affection. Some creatures are cold-blooded by nature/Doug Clark, SR. More here.
