Enough is enough. There are a few relatives down south in Jack’s family line. Cousins/Uncles, the usual
smattering of odd balls and brilliant and creative ones. Usually the same ones in both categories. There is
always prejudice out there against professional gators. Folks just don’t understand how hard we work for
our food.

You know how it is. The relatives show up, sometimes moving in or acquiring a home in the area. A
family of distant relatives bought a 40 and is attempting to put in a meat factory to enhance their diet.
Who knows how that will turn out! Some people have been protesting against these ‘gators’ and it’s gotten a bit ugly.
One of Jack’s relatives was offered a bribe to put in a big swampy factory that made them just drool with
the possibilities of unlimited pork and ham hocks. Local folks again, didn’t want anything to do with this
operation. There is a clever acronym for this operation: Controlled Alligator Feeding Operation. CAFO

The folks that really like sushi-on-the -hoof were very enthusiastic and supportive. Even folks that are just
dabbling into larger lagoons of mass production are enthusiastic.

Of course, the inevitable protesters always show up when it’s plain the other producers of larger farm
products do not have ‘skin in the game’. They’re just paranoid that their operations will be restricted or
monitored for environmental issue violations.

The old game of ‘gator seniority’ comes into play a lot. You know how it goes. “My family has been here
in this beautiful swap for four generations! We know what we are about and we respect other gators
around us. After all, we don’t want all the land, just the land next to ours. No need to get snappy about it.
It’s the way it always has been for professional reptiles.

The recollection of all the kids down by the bank of the swamp practicing their ‘death rolls’ is so much fun
to watch. They constantly look to us up on the bank as we snack on somebody that showed up. Or is it
with somebody? It gets a bit dicey when you are a predator to toe the line of eat or be eaten. Neighbors
are nice to have and now and then, Gator appetites can be a bit of a problem. When your feeling a bit
hungry and just need a little something to satisfy you, it gets confusing. Territorial food chains and all
that.

The rabbit family just downstream have been really nice neighbors. Really nice. The beavers next door
are very understanding with us and always avoid our family gatherings. Not pushy per se. Live and let
live we always say. Predators make good neighbors, ask the snapping turtle family across the river. Their
eggs are pretty good too.

So, to sum up, live and let live. Our territory is necessarily bigger, it’s only fair. We were here first.

Jack Gator

It was a perfect day for a garden party. Carrie had everyone there and she and Emily were out in the garden. Some tips were welcomed about potato bugs from Emily. She showed how they moved and where they came from. “Under the ground?” Yup. But you can control a small amount of them by just squishing them as they appear. Or there is a benign way by using diatomaceous earth powder! Any bug with an exoskeleton can be controlled. It was a new word and very good advice from an expert on those things. Bugs.

The round patio table was set with delicious looking pastries and snacky sorts of things. Crackers and French Brie. Croissants and small glass dishes filled with pesto. There was fine china cups that seemed to anticipate coffee and linen at the places where lawn chairs were set.

Sort of a high English tea picture set for the honored guests. Gary began digging into the brie and, as another writer, was delighted with all his fellow writers, and good friends, coming over to the table to join him.

There was a bit of lively conversation approaching as Dave and Sally were on either side of Nigel excitedly filling him in on Scripture verses that explain how this glorious party resembles another to come. Bob was dancing before them, sometimes walking backwards and giving encouragement to the three of them. How exciting it must be to hear these grand stories. Battles and victories with noble people. Suffering with unbelievable impact. Many things almost hidden from casual reading that book.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, just off the porch, Jack and Peter were whipping up a brew of excellent coffee. Fresh ground and just flown in with Carrie and Peter’s previous visit to St. Helena island. Best coffee beans on the planet for only twenty dollars an ounce. What a smell when the grinder did it’s work. Oh my, Jack never thought he would even smell coffee like this! Jack was ecstatic with his history knowledge kicking in. The very island that Napoleon was exiled to! Jack wondered if it was worth the exile to have that sort of coffee every day.

Eddie came in with a really nice linen towel around his arm and he was dressed to ‘the nines’ with an excellent servants black outfit. He delighted everyone when he walked out with a tray loaded with the best espresso ever. Sugar and cream in matching china as well.

It was a gathering of writers that came to enjoy one anothers company and hear stories from experienced raconteurs. The soiree lasted until the evening dew began and the grass was sparkly with the moonlight.

Have you ever thought what heaven would be like? What the King’s table that Moses and seventy some people got to dine at with the creator of everything that is and will be? Perhaps this was a dim preamble of sorts.

Writers can be persnickety and filled with themselves, but not today. Not in the garden of delights. What a gift for these poetic people to try and capture it in words that just didn’t seem adequate to describe it all. It’s pretty good, Jack Gator