Living in the tropics, there is lots of wildlife. Some are indigenous, some are not. Indigenous species are beneficial; others are usually not.
One of the most prolific critters during the summer months is the lizard. They come in all types, shapes, and sizes. My favorite is the one with a lower, usually red, chin that pops out when the lizard is comfortable or trying to get laid.
They are all very interesting, but one that stands out above all others is Leonard, The Workout Lizard. He is so cool!
One day, I noticed River pawing at a lizard on the outside of the sliding glass door. It’s not unusual because there are lots of lizards that climb up and down, and she tries to “play” with them.
But something was different. She kept pawing. Then she started jumping higher. It turns out that Leonard, The Workout Lizard, was training her for the high jump. The higher he climbed, the higher she jumped. He would mix it up by quickly moving from one side to the other.
By the end of the session, River was jumping over three feet high. Amazing!
Leonard showed up every day at the same time for about a week. Then he disappeared.
One day, I found a poor lizard that had been flattened by a car in the middle of the road. I was beside myself.
A couple of days later. Leonard showed up again. I was ecstatic!
“OMG! I thought you were run over!”
He chuckled and told me there was a cat a couple of doors down who needed his services. Sadly, it turned out the flattened lizard was a cousin.
Shaking his head, he said, “I kept telling him to look both ways, but he never listened.”
Knowing that River still needed some work on the high jump, I offered him $20. He turned it down because watching her jump so high made him laugh.
It’s been a while since Leonard has given River a serious workout. He has sent over a couple of apprentices to help keep her in shape, but there’s nothing like one of Leonard’s workouts.
