The Storm

was so scared back then, because I hadn’t heard of any gator attacks in Toltec, Arizona. "I’d better stay the course 'till I get to Pride," I thought, "until I get to what I was warned about." Flash flood waters had washed across the road and were still flowing fast over the blacktop road. "It doesn’t look too deep," I thought, and was tempted to cross. I remembered the words of Major Peterson about being stupid, and I could only imagine washing downstream to a be dinner for some critter. "I guess it’s Ruby, Louisiana, I’m bound then," I thought, and I made my u-turn carefully and headed back two miles to the old signpost. The Gator People yet again. "Ruby, here I come," and I turned off onto the gravelly road. It wasn’t as bad as I thought, and the ground underneath the Jeep tires was firm, but wet, as it continued to drizzle rain.

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