Wade chose the name because the pond was well hidden and appeared lost in time from eons past. Lost Lagoon was surrounded by beautiful Cyprus trees draped in Spanish moss. Parts of the pond were covered with a tightly interwoven mat of small green water plants combined with lighter shades of green algae. The matting of plants and algae formed a lace over the water. The hue reflected a muted green pastel haze above the surface broken only by sharp narrow rays of sunlight. The pond was also home to a large eighteen foot male alligator. Wade called the alligator, “Master” and considered the reptile his friend.
Wade usually found Master in one of the corners of the Lost Lagoon suspended just below the surface with eyes, brow and small nostrils barely protruding above the waterline. With keen senses the gator knew of Wade’s pending arrival from the sound of his motor long before he approached the entrance to the pond. Upon entering the pond Wade always acknowledged Master’s dominance by thanking him in advance for allowing Wade to fish.
Wade knew several favorite places his gator friend liked to observe his surroundings. Wade saw Master in one of his favorite spots and slowly maneuvered his boat closer to his massive body. During this process the beast remained motionless as Wade approached. Wade aligned his boat parallel to Master about 6 feet away. Wade put his ice chest and safety cushions between the two bench seats so he could lay longwise in his twelve foot aluminum flat boat. Stretching out between the seats Wade lowered himself to eye level with the beast, his head resting on the boat’s gunwale suspended just a few inches above the water line. From this position Wade and Master looked eye to eye at each other quietly and intently with wonderment and thought.
Wade spoke to his friend in what he called “Gator Thoughts.” Wade believed he could converse telepathically by sending and receiving thoughts as the two focused on each other’s eyes. Wade knew he and his reptile friend spoke different languages and had a different way of seeing the world. In Wade’s current undercover predicament he thought perhaps each saw the world more alike than differently. Wade knew that different thoughts could be translated by each other’s brain to a language each would understand.
Wade read that the Russians were experimenting on thought transfer between humans. He intended to do more reading and research on this topic but Wade didn’t need convincing. He knew the process worked right here in the swamp between he and his friend, Master.
The reptile’s enormous girth and deep scars along the aged skin of his back told its own story. Master was not lacking for food or territory and yet his stillness in Wade’s close presence seemed incongruent with the beast’s dominant physical appearance.
Wade drew spiritual energy from his exchange with and felt Master had a similar experience. As Wade approached Master, a spiritual calmness settled any apprehension Wade had from his close precarious position. He felt at ease with Master and believed Master would have the same calmness towards him.
Wade was not a stranger to the power of large alligators. He once observed one rise over six feet above the water’s surface straight in the air to grab a snake resting on a branch. Wade knew his small aluminum boat would be no match for the beast’s huge 18 foot length and over 2,000 pound weight if Master chose to become aggressive.
Wade knew how fiercely territorial male alligators could be. He had seen the ferocious quickness of Master’s attack when another male alligator came into the pond. Wade knew that if his friend wanted he could easily topple Wade’s small craft and kill him in seconds with a single powerful grip of his jaws.
Wade had many silent sessions with the gator before and felt the same calmness come over both of them. Wade’s heart rate slowed as he settled into a prone position parallel to Master looking directly into the reptile’s eye. Both Wade and Master remained motionless frozen in constant eye contact and time. The occasional blink of Master’s red eye reminded Wade that the mind of a beast was working just a few feet away. His expressionless stare and artificial smile were no guarantee that Master wouldn’t bolt towards him without warning at any second.
Wade remained calm maintaining a single spiritual focus at being one with Master as the sun’s rays danced along the pond surface on a beautiful quiet afternoon. It meant a lot to Wade that the reptile chose not to disappear below the surface or swipe his powerful tail in anger, or show any aggression to the nearness of Wade or his boat. In Wade’s view Master was acknowledging a boundary as well as the connection between them. Oddly, it seemed Master was enjoying Wade’s company.
Wade would certainly have understood the gator’s anger at him fishing in his pond. Fishing took food right out of Master’s large mouth. If his friend had objected he could have easily made a quick sweep below the surface scaring off any fish who might consider taking Wade’s bait. However, Master didn’t take that approach. Instead, he had given permission for Wade to fish in his pond and liked Wade being around ever since their first encounter several years ago.
Wade considered it an honor being allowed to share Master’s pond and conveyed his appreciation for that opportunity in thoughts during their silent sessions. Wade’s fishing practice was always to return smaller fish he caught to the pond. His returned fish were always alive and unharmed. Wade thought his practice was not only good conservation but also served as a special offering of thanks helping to insure that his return presence would be welcomed. Wade felt his friend understood his fishing practice and appreciated his gesture.
During his silent sessions, Wade laid in his boat at eye level with Master for a long period. Both minds were exchanging thoughts through some primitive mechanism using only eye contact and thought. Wade reasoned, perhaps this is how communication occurred before there was language or the ability to hear sound. During this silent exchange Wade asked himself; Why did Master allow such close boundaries between them? How could Master trust another human after 300 years of humans hunting alligators in this swamp? Was there some special connection just between them? Wade wondered if Master distinguished between quiet times with him and Master’s calm approach to a predatory stalk just before a fierce attack.
Wade believed he received thoughts from Master which his brain converted into silent but understandable thoughts. In turn Wade felt he could send thoughts to Master and the gator’s brain would convent Wade’s thoughts into language he understood.
One of the conversations between the two dealt with alligator hunters in the swamp. Wade wanted to know how Master had survived for so many years of predators without being killed by alligator hunters. Wade received a thought in return that his friend was over fifty years old and had survived on a simple principle; “If the meal looks too enticing and easy to obtain it was probably set with a hook that would mean his death.” His reptile rule meant Master had to search out and kill live prey. He could not be tempted by an easy lifeless meal. At that point Wade felt the need to protect his reptile friend from the human race but knew he didn’t have that power. Wade simply let Master know he never hunted alligator and wished his friend well during the coming alligator hunting season.
Wade accepted the realism that if he accidently fell in the water his beastly friend would kill him. He also knew that if he got another foot closer the gator would either flee under his boat or attack him. He wondered why this particular boundary distance was acceptable to Master. Wade sensed the fine line between wanting to see Wade up close and a little closer being too much of a threat. He wondered how Master determined that distance and made that decision.