Gator on the Loose! Read Online Free PDF

figure out how to untangle the string on the music player.
    “I’ll get the dog crate from the truck,” Daddy was telling Mama. “Tell Mom to wait for me outside.”
    Keisha wished they wouldn’t talk so loud.
    Mr. Sanders resumed chopping his jicama and then stopped to look at Keisha. “This wouldn’t have something to do with the alligator Mr. Ramsey found at the city pool this morning, would it?”
    “Uhhhh …” Keisha was not nearly as good as Razi at making up stories. She looked at Mr. Sanders, wide-eyed, until baby Paulo started banging on his tray.
    Ordinarily, Paulo was a mellow baby. Just watchinglife unfold at Carters’ Urban Rescue was interesting enough that he didn’t need much more than to be fed and held and to have his diaper changed. But after Cheerios came yogurt, and every once in a while, the Carters got so busy that they forgot the yogurt part. So Paulo had to bang. If that didn’t work, he had to fling anything that was within reach: his Winnie-the-Pooh bowl with the suction grip, his blue sippy cup, even his bib. Daddy said Paulo was going to be a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, he had such a strong arm.
    “Oops,” Keisha said as Cheerios bounced off the baby’s tray and onto the floor. “I forgot the yogurt.”
    She ran to the fridge, nearly tripping over Razi.
    “Got it!” Razi said, and pulled the string. The room filled with the tinny sound of a tune you could hear on the radio up and down the block every day. It was from
Possum and Blossom
, a cartoon movie that Daddy had taken Keisha and Razi to last Saturday when it was raining.

    The movie was about two possums and their life in the city. Very unrealistic if you knew the least little bit about possums.
    “It’s ‘Possums in Love’!” Razi began to sing in a loud voice.
    Keisha wondered how long the toy would last before it had an unfortunate accident. Or maybe she could convince her friend Aaliyah to trade Razi something for it. Aaliyah was very good at persuading.
    “Mom, before you go out, can you see if we have any rats in the freezer downstairs?”
    “Why do I always have to get the rats? It’s hard to do those steps in high heels. Let Keisha do it.”
    “She’s in the kitchen watching Razi and the baby!”
    Keisha heard Grandma stomping down the basement stairs. A moment later, she heard the front door slam.
    Mama rushed in from the hallway. She, too, almost tripped over Razi.
    “Again!” Razi said, and yanked on the cord.
    “Mr. Sanders … welcome.” Mama stopped, took a deep breath and tugged on the hem of her shirt. “I see you smelled my soup.”
    “Yes, and I’m adding to it,” Mr. Sanders said. He’d cut the jicama into matchstick-sized pieces and was dumping them into the pot. “So much going on here this morning …”
    “Yes … yes.” Keisha could tell that Mama’s mind was also on alligators, not on chatting with Mr. Sanders. “So nice of you to stop by. Please eat as much soup as you like and take some home for Mrs. Sanders.”
    “I only have time for one small bowl.”
    Mr. Sanders knew where everything was. He pulled the ladle from the jug on the counter and a bowl from the cupboard above the sink.
    “I always time my breaks for your house, as you know,” he said, sipping his soup. “I’ve been here for twelve minutes, leaving me three more to eat this delicious soup.” Mr. Sanders focused on slurping while Keisha and her mother exchanged glances.
    “Mom, are you looking out here?” Daddy’s voice was right outside the window.
    Paulo’s banging got louder.
    “I keep forgetting the yogurt,” Keisha said.
    “I wish you could stay longer, Mr. Sanders, but I remember your motto: No rain or snow or soup can keep you from your appointed rounds.” Mama took the empty bowl of soup from Mr. Sanders’s hands and opened the back door.
    “I see it! Right there. It’s an alligator tail,” Keisha heard Grandma say.
    “That’s the garden hose, Mom.” Daddy had obviously reached