Lizard

I was sitting at my hobby desk at about 10:00 p.m. the other night when I heard a noise on the floor to my left. I couldn't believe it when I looked down and saw one of those velociraptor lizards a few inches away from my foot.

He seemed calm and unafraid as he turned his head from side to side curiously checking out the surroundings. 

I sat there motionless and similarly, though not as calmly, started assessing the situation. The lizard was of good size . . . maybe at least a good 6 inches from tip of nose to end of tail. He had sharp claws and weird toes. The pattern on his body was strangely more snake-like than lizard-y to me. How in the world was I gonna catch him? Touching him was out of the question. 

I s-l-o-w-l-y got out of my chair, backpedaled out of the room and went looking for the men of the house. Both were already snoring. Crap.

I returned to the room.  Lizard hadn't moved. 

After a couple of failed attempts to catch it, once with a garbage bag and then another time with a box and broom, I quit trying. I had only succeeded in forcing him into hiding.  I turned out the light and went to bed. 

Knowing that there was a velociraptor in the house caused me to have a fitful night's sleep. I wondered if he was nocturnal and was roaming around the house. I wondered if he liked being next to a warm body. I wondered if I might step on him walking to the bathroom.

First thing in the morning I went into the craft room and checked it out.  Nope, nowhere in sight.

Still feeling uneasy, I went into the kitchen and started my usual morning routine. Kona went and stood in front of the sliding door as usual letting me know that he needed to go out. I unlocked and slid the door open for him, and when he came back in I slid the door shut. 

After making my coffee, feeding Kona and packing my lunch, I glanced toward the sliding door. Guess who was in front of it looking out. Lizard! For real! I kid you not!

I gingerly tiptoed my way to the door, trying not to startle Lizard, and slid the door open. It took a little coaxing. I shoo shoo'd with my hands and said, "Go. Go. You're free!!" He ran out. 

I went to get my camera, and when I returned Lizard was still lingering right outside of the door. Only when Kona bolted out did he scamper up onto the fence. 

Looking through the lens of my camera, I saw him look at me. I said, "Bye . . . have a good life . . . and don't ever come back!" And then off he ran.