Elephant Gerald Adventures

Cajungator Blues, Part III

Elephant Gerald and his friends were what you would call, "in a pickle." All Gerald wanted was to get John Cole Crane a lucky charm for his next fishing expedition.  His mama, Miss Ella, had never let him go inside the Who Do Voodoo Novelty Shop where the big old albino alligator, Cajungator, was proprietor. Miss Ella always taught Gerald to respect his elders, but she said there was something just not right with that gator and it was best for Gerald to never go in his shop. 

Now Gerald, Django, John, and Billie were trapped by Cajungator and his three squirmy nephews. Billie Goat Holiday was lured in only with the promise of a pretty pink rhinestone purse, but she was regretting that decision ever since she walked into the musty store.

With Cajungator at the door, John Cole Crane still shaking like a wind-up toy on Django Rhinoceros’ back, and Billie hanging onto his arm for dear life, Gerald knew he had to do something.

“Billie,” Gerald whispered. “See that charms table?”

“You still looking for some fool charm for John when our very lives are in danger?” Billie’s goat ears stood straight up. “And your Mama will not want you bringing home any of that gris gris or voodoo stuff!”

“I just want a little lucky charm for John, and I already gave Cajungator my money,” said Gerald. “Now we just gotta’ get out of here. We need a subtraction!”

“A what?” Billie cried.

“You know, create a ruckus and get that singing Cajungator looking the other way. Just follow me and do what I say.” Gerald whispered in her ear and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Worth a try,” Billie said, trying to feel brave.

Gerald gave her a wink and they both moved into action. Billie rushed the lucky charm table and flipped it over scattering the gris gris bags, charms, and amulets around the room. Gerald blew his trumpet right at the head of John Cole Crane, loosening his grip on Django and sending him flying.

“Yeeowwwweeee,” John squawked as he flew over the Cajungator straight out the front door. He landed on the boardwalk with feathers flying, his head spinning and his stork legs twisted around.

“Django, quick! Hit the Cajungator!” Gerald screamed.

Django didn’t even stop to think. He stomped his rhino hooves, swung his heavy hips and rushed right at the white gator.

Crack! Wham!

Django took out that old gator with one thrust of his heavy head.

Billie looked at the mess on the floor. The charm table was in shambles, its contents broken and shattered across the floor.  As she stepped over the debris and toward the door, she spied something near the knocked out Cajungator. There was the purse she wanted...hot pink leather with glittering rhinestones sitting on display by the window.

“Come on Billie, hurry. You were right, forget the lucky charm. Nothin’ but bad luck here!” Gerald said.

Gerald grabbed Billie’s arm and stepped out the door. The little goat looked back in hesitation, pulling away from Gerald’s grip. The temptation was too much for her.

“He’s got your money, Gerald. I’m a-gettin’ my purse!”

Billie didn’t notice Cajungator’s pink eyes blinking open as she stepped to the window display. Just as she was about to grab the purse, the old wily reptile slammed the door shut with one swift swing of his tail. Gerald felt the door slam against his back and heard Billie’s high-pitched scream. Little Miss Billie Goat was trapped because she was such a material girl.

“I’m so bad, got tricks up my sleeve, oh how I love me I’m so bad…I’m so sneaky and slimy…” Cajungator sung happily as he got up off the floor. His three little nephews started to sway back and forth again.

Billie’s cloven hooves tapped nervously on the old wooden floor. Her brown eyes narrowed to slits and her little goat tail pointed straight up. The flickering lightbulb suddenly popped. Now the only light was the glow of Cajungator’s pearly skin and the glitter of his pink eyes shining through the dark as he leaned against the inside of the door.

“Baaaaaa-aaaaa! Ger…Ger…Gerald!” she bleated.

Gerald was pushed up against the door with his ear suctioned tight to hear what was happening on the other side. Django and John were looking through the grimy windows trying to see what was happening.

“Billie, you alright?” Gerald yelled through the door.

Tap, tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap, tap…

“What’s she trying to say?” Django asked.

“Squaaawwwwkkk! He’s gonna’ eat her up,” John said dramatically. His scrawny kneecaps clattered together like castanets.

“You shush, John” Gerald said. “Quit dat boo dayin’.  We gotta stay calm!” Gerald was listening to what was going on inside.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

Click, click, click, click.

Gerald suddenly whirled around. He swung his trumpet trunk and jutted it up into the air. Django had heard Billie’s tapping and realized what she was up to. He grabbed his guitar that had been lying against the storefront since they got there.

1, 2, 3, 4…. Gerald started playing his trumpet softly then building up the rhythm. Django’s fingers slid up and down his guitar as John grabbed his saxophone.

Inside the Who Do Voodoo Novelty Shop Billie smiled at the fact that Gerald heard her foot tapping against the door in rhythm to their “No Boo Dayin’” song. Cajungator heard the music outside and stopped his own song. His tail was slowly keeping rhythm to Billie’s hoof tapping, 1, 2, 3, 4... 1, 2, 3, 4…

Tap, tap, tap, tap…

Clap, clap, clap, clap…

Click, click, click, click…

Billie started nervously singing in a quiet voice. “No Boo Dayin. We gotta be strong. We gotta be aware. We gotta be ready for what lurks out there…”

Cajungator now intently listened to her singing. Billie took a breath, batted her eyes, and seized her moment. Her clear notes rang out into the darkening room as she sang louder. She lost her growing fear of the dark and her captor for just that moment. “So you see what I’m sayin', there ain’t no boo dayin'…”

Cajungator’s eyes rolled back in his head. He swayed to the music as he fell under the spell of Billie’s magical voice. Even the three nephews were swaying to her song.

Billie sung the lyrics with a driving intensity. “Gotta’ keep our minds clear. Gotta’ be alert… Gerald, HIT THE DIRT!”

With the last wailing of Billie’s voice, Gerald and Django slammed the door open. They ran right into Cajungator, sending him across the floor of the shop and knocking down everything in his path for the second time. Billie gulped the cool air and in a dainty flash grabbed the rhinestone purse. She darted out the door, her hooves clattering down the river walk.

Gerald, Django, and John followed her out of the shop, but she was gone in a flash. 

Although it was nearing dark outside, Billie wasn’t running out of fear any more, but laughing all the way home with her new pink purse that Gerald had bought her, and the satisfaction that she and her friends bravely escaped the albino alligator.

Back inside the shop, the three little alligators were fanning their uncle on the floor. Cajungator’s white reptile skin had turned a sickly shade of green.  THE END

Come back next week for more EG Adventures!