GILA MONSTER

Along Highway 99, south of Blaine, Washington, in the 1950’s, was a roadside museum, and in it was a live Gila monster, the only venomous lizard native to the United States. One day a couple brought their little son to visit the museum. While his parents talked with the owner, the boy stared at the Gila monster with fascination. And after the little family left, the lizard’s cage was empty.

The boy had opened the cage and put the Gila monster under his coat, and away they drove. Several miles down the road, the venomous stowaway was discovered. The parents wheeled around and rushed back to the museum.

When the big lizard was returned to its cage, and the owner learned that the boy had actually handled it and stuck it under his coat, the man said, “Don’t you know the Gila monster is poisonous? If it had bitten you, it could have killed you!”

And the boy said, matter-of-factly, “He wouldn’t have bitten me. He likes me, and I like him.”

I’ve never forgotten this event. There’s a lesson to be learned here somewhere.

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