It was hot, because summer is now upon us. But there was a slight breeze, and it felt good sitting in the shade.
Bill was on the bench. I was in a nearby chair. We were discussing something, I can’t remember what, because I wasn’t doing a very good job listening.
He could tell I was distracted, because I was staring past him. He turned his head to look at what was capturing my gaze.
“There’s about to be a confrontation,” I said.
“What?”
“The lizards are about to face off,” I said, nodding my head in the direction of the house.
There, on the limestone facade beside the Pyracantha was a Texas Spiny Lizard. And beside the Boxwood was an Anole. The Spiny Lizard had been there for some time, perhaps stalking some bug. The Anole had just hopped out of the shrub, evidently unhappy about the other’s presence. Its head bobbed up and down menacingly. The Spiny Lizard stood its ground.
Bill continued his story, periodically looking back in the direction of the lizards, neither of which moved for a long time. His story continued to escape my attention.
The Anole made a dash for the Spiny Lizard which jerked as the other approached. There was a standoff. Some head bobbing on the Anole’s part. No motion on the part of the Spiny Lizard.
Bill’s story continued.
Step by tiny step, the Anole approached the Spiny Lizard. I’d never seen anything like this before. Both kinds of lizards have been in this yard for several years, but I’ve never seen them in the same place at the same time, and now here they were. I was certain there was going to be a scuffle à la The Land That Time Forgot.
But then, the Anole gave up and nonchalantly wandered back into the Boxwood as if it has just been out for an afternoon stroll. And the Spiny Lizard… well I don’t know where the Spiny Lizard went, because as I tried to reenter the conversation Bill and I were having, I looked away at the wrong moment, and both lizards were gone.