Exercise Is Good for You--part II

The first day I ventured out into the middle of the lake was a glorious morning. The sun was just starting to come up in a rosy glow. As the sun came up the few clouds were high and puffy, a lovely counter point to a brilliant cerulean sky. The earth was coming alive in the wonder of a perfect late summer morning with birds flying overhead. In the incredible silence of early morning it happened ...... I was one with nature.

I was noiselessly streaking over the lake towards the community center. I turned around and began to come back. What did I see ahead? Why it was a fellow sculler! What a treat! I will talk to him. “Hi”, I said, “Hi”, he said back. “Nice scull”, I said. “Made it myself”, he said. “Wow” said I. “ Ja see the alligator?” he queried. “Alligator?” said I , with that he lifted a well tanned, muscular arm and pointed to this large log like structure lying perfectly still about 20 feet away. I stared, I took it all in. “Oh”, said I, “Is that an alligator?” “Yup”, he said, “there are plenty of them in the lake” .

At that point the sun was starting to come up a bit and I decided to go for another row towards the community center. As I glided off I started processing the information I had received, hummmm, I would never have thought that was an alligator. Should there be alligators in a lake that is bordered by homes with small children playing on its banks? Have I ever seen small children playing on its banks? Gee, I guess that’s why no one swims in the lake. I wonder how big that alligator is. Let’s see those eyes were like tennis balls and that snout was pretty long. Holy Godfather, that alligator had to be at least 15 feet long. By the time I had turned around and gotten back to my house I realized the situation. Here I am sitting on this white, skinny boat that is 22 and a half feet long. I'm like a grape balanced precariously on a skewer. Could that alligator think that my scull was another alligator, maybe the Pamela Anderson of alligators? Did that Alligator fancy my scull? Would he attempt to mate? Would I be offered up as a precoital ritualistic meal to his Pamela? What have I done? Why am I sitting on a twig in the middle of reptile infested waters???

By the time I got out of the scull and into the house my mind had started to think about more practical things, like getting to work. I thought to myself, well Scarlet, worry about that tomorrow.

To be continued ................................