The Lizard Whisperer

People with Williams Syndrome are often drawn to subjects, almost obsessively. Sometimes the subjects are inanimate, often mechanical – fans, planes, radios. Other times they are very animate, people (of course), animals and young/babies are often a particular source of fascination.

Linda loves animals and has books and books and books about them. She’s usually much less interested in meeting animals in the flesh as she’s vary wary of being attacked by them.

lizardOn holiday this week she’s become an intrepid spotter of the small lizards that sun themselves on the steps and terraces around our holiday Gite. She watches and comments upon their every move, talking to them softly… (as if French lizards understand English!!). Day by day she becomes more brave about encounters with this new and unquantified species.

In the last day or two she’s become brave enough to actually approach a lizard (and yes, the outcome of the lizards scuttling away at great speed was very predictable).

Today she achieved a sort of victory as she inched her way patiently toward the sun-basking beast….

“You’ll be alright mate.” she said sotto voce as she made her final approach and then stood, victorious within a foot of the wild animal.

Job done. Lizard whisperer born.