"Oh, my name is Sammy and I've come here from Michigan. And I'm looking for my family."
"Oh really? Here in the Everglades? You went all that distance?" said Sally.
"Oh Yes! It was so horrible! I went through a lot of places I didn't even know but I kept on because I had such a horrible time in Michigan that I had to come here. What happened was they took me when I was a very small child and they transported me to Michigan and they mistreated me something terrible. And I knew I wanted to come back to the Everglades because my family is here. But I don't know where they're at."
"Oh, oh, oh I see," said Sally "but why are you hiding in the bushes? Anyway, doesn't matter. I could help you find your family."
"Well, who are you?" asked Sammy.
"I'm Sally."
"Sally?...hi Sally. How do you know about the Everglades?"
"Oh I've lived here all my life and I have so much fun here. Wait a minute...watch yourself! Here comes one of those chairs," as Sally pointed her snout a little ways upstream.
Badoomp badoomp badoomp.....a group of chairs went floating by with four people in it, and they were looking down in the water, and they yelled out, "oh look at these small alligators! Aren't they cute? Oh yes, throw them some food! Oh!"
"Come on Sammy, let's go. These people in the chairs just want to distract us from doing what we should be doing" said Sally determinedly.
"Who are those people in the chairs?" asked Sammy.
"Oh they're people who like to look around the Everglades and tell others, 'oh, i saw an alligator!'. And they're just people, and sometimes they don't even think. They're the same who took you when you were very small to Michigan. So you have to be careful about them."
"Oh, ok. Thanks. I'll be careful" Sammy whispered, as he was a little frightened.
"Hey Sally! Who's that with you?" an alligator yelled out to Sally.
"Who's that?" Sammy asked.
"Oh that's Frankie. She's from around here too. We've been friends for the longest time." said Sally as she waved to Frankie with her snout.
"That's nice you have a friend like Frankie. I had a friend too when I was in Michigan but we don't talk much anymore", Sammy said sadly as he remembered the little boy and the farm that now seemed so far away and so long ago.
"Watch it! Watch it Sammy! There's a bunch of grass there. You have to be careful about the grass and the weeds here Sammy. They can really get you. Be careful!" Sally said.
"Oh Sally what would I do without you?"
"Well thank you Sammy. That's the nicest thing any alligator has ever said to me. Oh, thank you. Let's go and try to find your family. Do you know anything about them?" asked Sally.
"I just know that they're good alligators that work hard. But I don't think they'd even recognize me."
"Oh sure they will Sammy. I know everybody. I've been living here for 15 years and I know everybody around here."
"Oh Sally I'm so glad I met you..."
"Hey Sally!" another alligator yelled out to her. "Sally, who's that with you?"
"Oh quiet George! I'm busy right now!" Sally yelled at him.
"Gosh, Sally, you know an awful lot of alligators!"
"Well, like I said, I've been here for 15 years and we all are family."
"Oh really? Do you think I have a good chance of meeting my family?" asked Sammy hopefully.
"Oh I do. I do. We'll go from place to place. First, I want you to meet this alligator. He's the oldest one here" as Sally swam up to a large, older looking alligator.
"Hello" said the alligator in a deep gruff voice. "Who are you?"
"Oh Tom, this is Sammy. He comes from Michigan," Sally said. "Do you recognize him? Do you know where his family is?"
"I'm not sure. Turn him around and upside down and on his tail and head and then I can tell you." said the alligator with the gruff voice.
"Sammy do you think you could turn around, upside down and on your head and all around?" asked Sally.
"Well," said Sammy "I sure will try if that'll help me look for my family. I'll do anything."
So Sammy turned around, went upside down. Turned around and around and around. Then he stopped and he looked into the old alligator's eyes and said, "Do you know who my family is?"
The old alligator said, "Yes! I know who your family is. They've been waiting and waiting. Oh my loving, loving little alligator!"
"Who?....you??!" whispered Sammy with his eyes wide in bewilderment.
"Yes!....Me! I'm you're family!"
