Gussie the Christmas Goose and Other Stories

Andy the Near-Sighted Alligator

In the back marshes of the Mississippi bayou lived a family of alligators.  Andy was the youngest alligator.  His older sister and brother had been going to school for two years.  Andy could hardly wait to join them.  Finally the big day arrived!

As the three of them swam through the warm water, they noticed that Andy kept turning to the right when they came to a fork in the bayou.

"What's wrong with you?"  His sister asked.

"Come on Andy, stay close to us," yelled his brother.

However, at the next boggy marsh, Andy darted to the right...again.  Eventually, all three of them got to school.

When the three of them arrived home that afternoon, their mother had just returned from her job.  She was a waitress at the Gator Cafe.

"Mom," said Andy's sister, Sweetie, "something is wrong with Andy's eyes."

"Yeah," said his brother Al.

"It's 'yes ma'am,' Alfred," his mother reminded him.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Now, what seems to be the problem?"

"We think Andy needs glasses.  Every time we turned left in the bayou, Andy would go right."

"Andy," his mother asked, "is that true?"

"Yes ma'am, but I don't think I need any glasses."

"Well son, your father and I will make an appointment with the eye doctor."

"Yes, ma'am," said Andy, very softly.

The next week, Andy's father and mother took time off from their jobs and took Andy to Dr. Gates, the eye doctor.  He confirmed that Andy was near-sighted and needed to wear corrected lenses, for at least six months.

When the three of them returned home, his sister and brother began laughing at him.  "Look," they said, "he has four eyes now!"

Father ordered them to be quiet.  "You mustn't laugh at your brother because he has to wear glasses.  How would you feel if someone laughed at you?  Now apoloize."

"We're sorry Andy," they said, and then turned their heads and tails, snickering.

The next day, the three of them started off to school.  Andy had no trouble keeping up.  His glasses were doing their job.  However, when he went into his classroom, all of the other alligators busted out laughing and making fun of his little glasses.

"Children, please!" said the teacher.  "You mustn't do this.  But it was too late.  Andy turned and hurried out of the classroom and quickly made his way to the bayou.   As he swam along, he took off his glasses and threw them into the marsh.  Andy swam and swam.  He was very, very tired.  It seemed to be taking him a long time to get to the fork in the bayou.

Suddenly he heard a loud noise.  He tried to figure out what it was.  It was getting closer and closer.  It was a lot of water, going somewhere.  As he crept along, he realized he had taken the wrong turn!  Now he recognized the sound!  It was a waterfall!  How had he gotten into the river?  Quickly he began retracing his tracks, but it was useless!  He was going over the falls!