Gladys Gartrell

Three Little Girls Lost Gladys Gartrell

In downtown El Paso there was an alligator pond. I would sit and wait for one of those big gators to move. Open an eye even. After some time, I came to believe they weren't real. They never did move, not even once. I know now, they were real. It was their nature to lie in the sun and be quiet, and sleep, sleep, and sleep some more. I am really surprised I didn't climb over the wall and go visit them one on one. I would sit there for hours trying not to go home. Or I would be found in the movies. I knew if I went to the house, I would be one of Rose's victims again. Some terrible punishment or torture she would think up. We three girls suffered all this done to us because we thought our dad didn't know. But I know now, he did know. We thought we were protecting him and his feelings. What a joke!