It started after I had brought in the groceries. Carrying bags in I had cut straight across the grass, but then I had to come back out and move the car a bit. (Not my best parking job – I blame the COVID vaccine. Because I can.) After that I was going to walk to the front door on the sidewalk, but found my way blocked.
I don’t know if it’s one of the new batch of “nature’s popcorn” from the back yard. It’s the right size, but god knows there’s enough of them around so the front yard lizards and the back yard lizards might have totally different populations.
Most of them scatter if I get within ten feet, but this one wasn’t budging, even when I got within five feet or so and pointed out that it was extremely exposed should the raven up on the telephone pole spot it.
Even when I knelt down to get a better shot and wasn’t more than two or three feet away he wasn’t budging. He had his warm spot in the sun and that was that. I thought that he might actually be deceased, but his head kept swinging back and forth to keep an eye on me. THEN he started doing those “lizard push-ups,” which I understand to be a territorial display. Okay, duly noted!
I talked to him for a minute or two. I told him I admired his attitude and hoped to keep him in mind as a role model as Monday rolled around tomorrow.
Then I stood, walked back around the car and went to the front door via the lawn, leaving him still sunning himself and blocking the sidewalk, exerting his dominance.
Of course his name must be Gandalf. Which, I guess, makes me the Balrog.
Fair.
We Love The Stars Too Fondly 