My family will think I am crazy

Growing up in Jamaica, we often had lizards that got in our house. Big lizards. Giant lizards. With the bright pink croaking things on their necks. When I was under 5, I liked the lizards and tried to catch them to take them for a walk on my self-made leash. But I soon learned that lizards were, in fact, vicious creatures who were trying to hide in my shoes, jump on me as I walked into a room, or bite my face while I was sleeping.

None of these things ever happened. However, once in second grade, a wayward lizard somehow managed to crawl onto my shoulder while I was sitting quietly at my desk doing math work. I felt a little tingle on my crisp, white uniform blouse. I glanced over and saw two eyes staring at me from 3 inches away. I jumped out of my seat, waving my arms wildly, until it flew off into the bookcase. Stranger than that, though, was that Mrs. Samuels didn't even notice.

So, my whole family has always had a thing against lizards. In Jamaica, it wasn't uncommon for us to be crouched behind my dad as he aimed his BB gun into a bedroom to take down a giant lizard that was poised for a nighttime attack. My sister has been known to empty a can of Raid on a lizard that was on its way to try on her shoes. And you should have seen us trying to get into the house with a lizard (or worse, a frog) sitting in ambush (or eating mosquitoes) above the front door. We would all gather our thoughts, make a plan, stay focused. Dad opened the front door and shout, "Go, go, get in!" as we scrambled, sometimes squealing, with our hands over our heads, rushing into the foyer. The door slammed behind us.

When we moved into our house two years ago, the only drawback was that our house was a lizard haven. There were more lizards on our porch and hiding in the shutters than anything I had seen before. I got used to them, and even grew to appreciate their insect-eating ability. But I still didn't like them and freaked at the thought of one getting into the house.

Until I met this guy:

I spotted him one day and noticed his little pink-orange head. Then I saw him again. And again. He was always hanging out on the garden hose. Soon, I realized that I was looking for him. When I went out to grill or to water my plants, I wanted to see Pinky. I discovered that he lives in a small hole on the water hose cart. Today I was kind of upset when I went to say hello after work and he jumped into a nook in the hose where I couldn't see him. Kari says that he's scared. But how could he still be afraid of me when I am not afraid of him anymore? We've even had a photo shoot.

I'm trying not to get too attached. I don't even know how long lizards are supposed to live. He's wild, I tell myself. Wild, but definitely not vicious.