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Frankie

Frankie

February 14, 2013

Party On

Frankie is an inspiration.  He brings smiles to people in the park.  He melts away barriers of kids at Walk for Autism.  He makes people laugh out loud at pet stores.  He causes cars to stop during his outdoor walks.  He even makes people who truly are calm, dignified, and proper morph to a state of joy and clownish gesticulation.

But this inspired fan takes the cake.

After missing all the winter holidays due to illness, Hubby and I finely got an opportunity to get away and traveled to Mobile, Alabama for four days of Marti Gras.  

After months of looking for a proper caretaker for Frankie, the geckos and the cat, we settled on a friend and loving fan of Frankie:  Greta.  Greta lives near by.  She read "Unusual Holiday Job", has experience with turtles, and works at home.  She can check on Frankie (living in the gecko room) several times during the day.

The day of departure Greta received the detail Guide to House, Geckos, Cat and Frankie.  The number one instruction in the book:  Call for Anything.  When dealing with Frankie this is very important.

I left for Mardi Gras confident about Greta, her love for Frankie, and her enthusiasm for the job.

Greta was left in charge of 100+ geckos, 2000+ crickets, 3 turtles, 1 pregnant Water Dragon, 9 eggs in the incubator, and Frankie.

Our caretaker Greta turned her very serious Frankie job into a four day party!

When we arrived in Mobile I checked e-mail and there was nothing from Greta.  I checked Facebook and found a wall of photos and videos of her having a blast with Frankie, the geckos, and turtles.  Each photo had fun captions and details of moment to moment action.

Greta is no ordinary caretaker.

The best photos came on the eve of Marti Gras.  Greta turned Frankie into a valentine cupid.  It's hard to describe so here it is:

Frankie Cupid
Between Greta's 10+ Facebook messages, 57 photos, and 4 videos I witnessed everything going on with Frankie and the gecko room.

(If you are unable to see the video here, try link Mom!! Come home!!!

When we returned Greta had four pages of detail notes.  A few exerts from her notes:
Frankie p'd like a race horse.  One poop (he might be working on another as we speak) Yes! He was!
Frankie is eating now.  I'm waiting to see if he will poop.
Frankie p'd, He is sitting in it.

When anyone besides me is left with Frankie I worry he will not get the attention and care he needs.  I worry the rhythm of the gecko room effected by Frankie's winter residence.

Greta is no ordinary caretaker.

Frankie was perfectly safe.  He was given lots of attention.  His poop and pee was cleaned up.  The gecko room remained intact.  The gecko room was clean. Frankie and Greta had fun.

The stake is raised. Greta sets turtle sitting to a new high.

Party on Frankie and Greta, party on.

******
Dedicated to Greta Maloney, a modern party monster.