Please Don't Feed the Alligators

10 foot gator

 

There is an old spring-fed swimming hole in a small Central Florida town, where the older teens of Cabbage Palm swing out over the water on a rope tied to a big oak tree. The water is a cool 78 degrees year ‘round, so when August comes, the spring is alive with young people trying to keep cool. The leaders of this pack of swimmers are Greg, an 18-year-old with 7 weeks left until he leaves for bootcamp and his girlfriend Amanda.  

Being Florida born and bred these kids pay no mind to Chucky, the 7-foot 600-pound gator that lives in the cool spring. Most gators prefer warmer water, but Chucky stays on the bank much of the day and goes into the water to feed or cool off. He keeps his distance from the kids swimming and they never approach or feed him.

A new family moves into the area, the Manns They are from the mid west and have two daughters, Stacy 14 and Joanne 17.

On a hot July afternoon and the spring is full of swimmers, when they see Mr. Mann feeding Chucky.
“Hey! Don’t feed him!” They yell.

Their pleas are ignored. So, Greg gets out of the water and makes his way to Mr. Mann and says,

“You can’t feed him, it’s dangerous and against the law.”

“Kid you don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Yes I do. I live here and this is our place to swim. If you feed him, he will lose his natural fear of humans.”

“Go home kid. I live here too, and I’ll do whatever I want. Now get out of here!”

Turning around Greg walks away, cussing under his breath until he reaches Amanda and tells her what happened. She says, “You should call the Sheriff.”

“I’m no snitch.”

“Then I’ll call them.”

“911 what is your emergency?”

“My name is Amanda Crawford, there is a man feeding the gators at Clear Spring.”

Twenty minutes later a Florida Game Warden arrives. He talks to Amanda and the others, then goes and talks to Mr. Mann. He writes Mr. Mann a citation for unlawfully feeding alligators, and reinforces what happens to gators when they are fed.

“Mr. Mann, gators have bite force of 5,000 pounds per square inch. It can kill you or any one else it wants to. If that gator gets aggressive we will have to kill it, and that will be on your head. Do you understand”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good. I don’t want to be called back out here again. Do you understand that?”

“Yes.”

July turns in to August, Stacy and Joanne become part of the group that enjoys a nice cool swim in the sweltering heat of a Central Florida summer day.

Chucky has changed. He stays closer to the swimmers, but no one has seen Joanne’s father feeding him. On this day Chucky swims within three feet of Amanda, before Greg yells and causes a commotion near him and he sinks into the crystal clear water and swims away as they watch.

“I think we need to report Chucky and have him relocated.”

“Oh, Greg he hasn’t hurt anyone.”

“But Mandy, he is coming closer every day. He’s becoming dangerous. Mann must still be feeding him.”

In the afternoon heat the next day, Greg and Amanda are the only ones at the spring, when Joanne walks up.

“Hi Guys.”

“Hey Jo, what’s up?”

 “Hi Joanne. I like that yellow sundress.”

“Thanks Mandy. How come you guys aren’t swimming?”

Greg says, “Chucky is getting mean. Is your dad still feeding him?”

“No! The last time it cost him $1500.00. And the judge said if he did it again, he would get the full $5000.00 fine and up to five years in jail.”

“All I know is that Chucky has changed.”

“I don’t know about that Greg, but it’s super hot and I’m going for a swim.” Stepping out of
her sundress Joanne reveals her new bikini that came with the dress. She runs, grabs the rope, swings out, lets go does a mid-air somersault and lands with a big splash. Joanne comes up for air with a smile on her face, then screams as she is pulled under. Seeing her in the jaws of Chucky, Greg jumps in to try and save her as a trembling Amanda frantically calls 911.

Later in the dusk of the day, a diver finds Joanne’s body stuffed under a log in 12 feet of water. A .22 magnum from a game wardens rifle found its way into Chucky’s head.

After the necropsy was completed on Chucky where they found raw chicken and other table scraps in his belly, a still grieving Mr. Mann is taken into custody for feeding the alligator and ultimately causing the death of his oldest daughter.