The Alligator

Well, maybe its a crocodile. I am not really sure.

It is a statue over at Westminster Mall. Right now its on the first floor, I think on the Macy's branch.

Kids crawl all over it. They start at the end of the curled tail, (some kids skip that part and start higher up), and they work their way up the animal until they get to the snout, which is raised off of the ground about 2 feet. Some kids crawl up, the braver kids walk up. When they get to the snout, they sit a minute, enjoying their accomplishment, and then they get off. Some jump, some slide around... and then they go back to the tail to start again.

It has happened this way for decades. When I was a child, I would start at the tip of the tail, and follow the curl around.

Another part of the mall has bear statues, but they don't have as much appeal. Sure, you'll find kids crawling on them - anything is a welcome break from being dragged from store to store full of clothes, or worse, shoes (no racks to play in at shoe stores!), while being carefully steered clear of KB toys.

But kids really love to play on that alligator.

Yesterday, I went with Angie to the mall. She wanted to buy some shoes that were on sale. Drew wanted to go play on the statues. I was more then happy to take him and Cori. Right outside the shoestore, and a couple shops up, was that dear old alligator. I was oddly excited to be hanging 'round my old freind again.

I watched as Cori and Drew, along with other children, played on the alligator. I watched the younger ones crawl up. I watched the bigger, braver ones, balance, like on a balance beam. I watched one girl, 10 or 11, just passing by, trot quickly in and take her turn among the little ones, while her mom watched from outside... the girl ran up the alligator, savoring the memory of her younger years... "just one more time, Mom," and then she jumped off the snout, joined her mom, and they continued on their way.

It was such an odd, surreal experience. Watching Cori and Drew play, and having such powerful feelings about it.

In those moments, I thought about how amazing Drew and Cori are. Drew is such a caring big brother. He is thoughtful and considerate, inquisitive and charming. Cori is a character, dramatic and emotional, funny and charismatic. I realized how much I love those kids.

I had a memory of an old friend.

I had a glimpse of what it will be like when I have my own children, when Grant and I take them to expereince things that we did as a child. Disneyland, swimming in a pool, the alligator at the mall. I know that, in itself, will be emotional, but I didn't realize how much so.