My wife loves everything about Florida except the threat of alligators. For some reason, she seems obsessed about the dangerous beasts, mostly out of concern for our dog. She has seen two gators since we’ve arrived in the state – one in our neighborhood pond – too close for comfort. Other homeowners in our new neighborhood have reported numerous sightings on the community Facebook pages, elevating her concerns. One photo showed a gator that had crawled into someone’s garage and was hiding under their car. She can’t get this vision out of her head. 

Everywhere we’ve lived there has been some kind of risk factor, ranging from tornadoes in the Midwest to scorpions and rattlesnakes in Texas to Earthquakes in Oregon. Her biggest concern here should be Hurricanes, but we’ve yet to live through such a storm. No matter where you go in life there are always these hassles to contend with. We’ve also been in areas where bears, coyotes, and panthers are common in the wild. Occasionally, they find their way to your doorstep. My wife’s sister also had an encounter with an alligator here in Florida, adding to the nightmares she dreams up at night. 

Last night was no exception. She heard a noise in the garage and woke me up to check it out. Big Brave Mike! I remember in a sleepy fog getting down on my hands and knees on the floor to look under the cars for any signs of a trespassing gator. I’m not sure what I would do under the circumstances, but it’s not something I worry about. I did verify the existence of the first alligator that we spotted here, but it was behind a fenced drainage area and far from being a threat. We now drive by that street, named appropriately Alligator Avenue, all the time without witnessing another sighting. Oh, and don’t forget about sharks when we go to the beach. They don’t seem to bother her like alligators, because all you have to do is stay out of the water. See you later Alligator!