Chapter 2 Alvin Outgrows His Britches  

     Alvin adjusted very quickly to his new life.  Every morning after breakfast he'd lie sunning himself on the ledge outside the kitchen window.  In the afternoon, the boy would take him for a swim in the pond at the back of the garden, and then the two of them would play until dinner.  In the evenings he'd amuse himself by chasing the dog or teasing the cat or otherwise causing mischief, until, finally, worn out by all the activity, he'd curl up in his carrier and go to sleep.  It was a wonderful life, and Alvin enjoyed it mightily. But one day, there was a change.

     Very early one morning Alvin was awakened by the door of his carrier being opened.
     "OK Alvin." the boy yawned, time to get up. I have to feed you before I go to school."
     Alvin gave a little grumble and turned over to go back to sleep.  This had to be a mistake. He never got up until the sun was shining all the way through the window...and neither did the boy.
     "Alvin!! Come on!! Your breakfast is ready!"  The boy peered inside the carrier and sighed. "Oh Alvin...." He reached in and pulled the little alligator out into the morning light.
     Alvin blinked and yawned.  Well, as long as he was up he'd might as well eat, and he finished his breakfast in no time.
     "Ahhhhh....that's better," he thought, giving a happy little burp. "Now I'm ready to go!" And go he did....right back into his carrier.
     He squeaked indignantly. What kind of deal was this? He was supposed to go sit on the windowsill! Could the boy have forgotten?
     "Sorry pal, but I have to go to school, and Mom says you have to stay in here until I get home.  But I'll leave the carrier open so you can run around the room and sit in the sun.  And when I get home we'll go down to the pond and take a nice long swim, ok?"
     Alvin gave a little grumble and, throwing the boy a hurt glance, curled up in the far corner of the carrier. Leave him alone would he? He'd show him....He'd feel so bad he'd....
These pleasant thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the bedroom door being firmly shut leaving Alvin all on his own. Oh well.....there was always the windowsill....
    When the boy got home they went for their swim and played in the yard as usual.  But after dinner there was no sitting in the livingroom watching Alvin's antics.  Instead, the boy spent his time in his room reading and writing and doing all kinds of things that seemed very dull to the little 'gator who sat on the desk watching.
     As the weather got colder, they stopped going to the pond and Alvin began taking his daily swim in the bathtub.
     "Oh wow..." he thought as he glided from one end to the other, "An indoor pond!
Imagine! I'll bet there's not another alligator in the whole world who has one of these!!
It's not as interesting as the outdoor pond, or even the swamp, but it's inside!! And all for ME!!!!!"
     The sun had stopped shining so brightly too, but Alvin found a new spot to warm himself...right in front of the fireplace, where he and the dog shared the rug fairly peaceably....and where he loved to startle visitors by suddenly scampering across the room.
     Yes....Alvin was no longer confined to quarters during the day. He had proven himself to be well-behaved enough to be given the run of the house.
     One morning, instead of being fed and left to go back to sleep, Alvin was shut in his carrier and taken along to school. He was very excited because it was his first trip since coming to this strange place and he was anxious to see new things.
     "Alvin, you'll be the hit of the day," the boy told him as the bus carried them towards the school. "I can't wait to show you to everyone!"
     This made Alvin very proud indeed! He was going to be a star!!!
     They got to the school and Alvin was taken into the classroom where he was placed under the boy's desk to wait for the big moment. He watched as best he could as the room filled with children.  He was so excited!!! All these people were here to see HIM!!! What a magnificent alligator he must be!! As he waited his pride swelled and swelled until finally, as the big moment approached, he could barely contain himself.
     "And this..." the boy said, lifting him out of his carrier, "is Alvin."
     Alvin blinked in the light for a moment or two, then scampered up the boy's arm to perch proudly on his shoulder, surveying the room with all the air and style of a monarch looking over his subjects.  His little chest swelled and his little head raised even higher as he listened to the boy tell all about him...where he was born, what he liked to do, how smart he was...just everything!!
   Alvin became filled with a sense of his own magnificence, which increased as the other students fussed over him, asked to hold him or pet him, tried to feed him, or otherwise paid him hommage.
     Alvin was becoming a snob.
 
         

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