alligator 'head'

Lucy here, in the first pic, is approximating the perspective of what I myself "woke" to a week or two ago now I suppose one day, while otherwise just rather normally stirring and rolling over in the bed while still mostly intending to still be snoozing. But instead of my partners (or Lucys, or Wodas) face that *should* be there in those sorta moments, there was this ALLIGATOR face staring me down with jaws and teeth open.

Fortunately, I guess, I still subconsciously had enough brain activity going on that I immediately realized that (whatever it was) it wasn't *moving*, and also would be a *highly unlikely* thing to end up in my house/bed in any actually moving-capable state -- so I guess I (still kinda subconsciously) reached over and batted it away, then *did* go right back to snoozling.

And the next time I stirred, it was because my partner had come back into the room and picked it up from the floor and was again putting it on the pillow beside my head, but he didn't get away with it that time...? <LOLOL>

Ultimately it came from my next door neighbor lady, who was gonna toss it in her trash can (which he routinely takes out for her) because she "just didn't want it in her house anymore". <giggling again> She reports it was something one of her grandsons gave her awhile ago sometime, and after all, gifts that grandkids get and give to their grandmamas don't always end up being the most...uhhh... "practical" sorts of things, even though the rules dictate they'll always be gratefully received at the time anyways...?? ;-)

And my partner knows me well enough to immediately recognize that it was a thing that'd be PERFECTLY at home here, amongst *my* assortments of collections instead, so he grabbed it. [I've trained him well, apparently...? ;-) ;-)]

The tag still attached inside his mouth identifies GATOR DAVE'S TRADING COMPANY, of DeLand FL as his maker. Text on the backside of the tag starts with: "This is real American gator, made in the USA from recycled scraps of the farm raised meat and leather industry". (going on to explain they're not now in any way endangered or anything, due to successful conservation efforts)

And I guess that means that its actually a gator 'jawbone', that's had the rest of its head and (imitation, I hope) eyes kinda built/assembled/taxidermed (is that last one a word?) around it...under the actual jawbone (where the tag is attached) and up its backside is just black felt. He's roughly (now) 11" long.

I do actually think he's fun, no matter the why's/how's/etc of wherever he came from and even how he got 'introduced' to me...I haven't found him an actual shelf spot (or whatever) yet, but I absolutely will do so... ;-) ;-) ;-)