Alligators
(this "marble" keeps rattling around in my head...)

I was a child with WAY too much free time & an overactive imagination. So I invented plenty of games to keep myself busy. (only child & only african-american family in a caucasian neighborhood was pretty inspiring...but that's another blog). So when my best friend Dee-Dee came over to play, I had the game ready. Mind you, my mother's swamp-green carpet & earthy brown/sienna printed sectional lent heavily to the game's creation. Anway, the object was to jump from island to island (couch to loveseat to chair) WITHOUT touching the swamp water & getting bit by an alligator. Ok, you could occasionally touch the water briefly, but had to scurry to the next furniture piece before the alligator got near you (only I could see it).

Dee-Dee thought I had snapped & lost my 7 year old mind. Since we were nowhere near a swamp & I'd never actually seen a live alligator (save for Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom), I can't say that I blamed her. It's been at least 20 years since I've talked to Delia & I'm SURE she still thinks that my grasp on reality is, well, shaky to say the least.

We played it until we were too big to play without damaging the furniture, and either my mom turned her cheek or we snuck when she was out of the room. Dad was just happy to see my head NOT buried in a book, so he encouraged it.

When my mom decided (years later) that the living room needed a much needed facelift, I happily agreed. So the alligators became a nice high mauve shag rug & the islands a navy blue floral print pillowback sofa set. I hadn't thought of alligators since & even as I write this I have no idea why it came to mind.

Strange how such a memory will suddenly & vividly rear its funny little head.