Gator Caught in Headlights

The crime log of the Seal Beach Sun reported a sighting of “what appeared to be an alligator or a large iguana in the slow lane going northbound on the 405 Freeway.”

Gives new meaning to the term “tailgater.”

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The traffic crawl (cont.): I wondered if it could be Reggie the alligator, the celebrated inhabitant of Machado Lake in Harbor City?

Perhaps the creature had made a side trip south (Sea World?) and was now returning. Alas, no.

The Sun said that there was indeed an alligator on the 405, but it was a stuffed toy.

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Speaking of animal magnetism: During the NCAA basketball tournament, Leslie K. Siegel-Hauser noticed that officials tried to give the Bradley-Pittsburgh game a touch of Hollywood glamour (see photo).

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Covering all sorts of emergencies: Those in desperate need of a gambling fix share a parking area with other sufferers in one lot, William and Gloria Franklin of Newport Beach discovered (see photo).

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Ooh L.A. L.A.: The Franklins also read about a for-rent cottage that promises an interesting experience in the bathroom (see accompanying).

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Planning a June wedding?: Jim Hansen of Lake Forest found a spot that specializes in walks down the, uh, aisle (see accompanying).

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School Daze (Part II): More wacky student writings collected by high school teacher Juel Goldstock of Long Beach:

* I’m worried abut global worming.

* Verbose: adj. talk a lot. I don’t verbose much.

* I really liked “To Kill a Mockingbird.” It taught me how to take care of mockingbirds.

* I love you and dream of the day you walk into my bedroom door.

* I read “The Old Man and the Sea.” It was about an old man who caught a fish and the fish gave him 3 wishes.

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miscelLAny: Occasionally verbose William Shatner recently sold one of his kidney stones to an online gambling site for $25,000, then donated the money to Habitat for Humanity. It was a big stone, the actor said.

“This would be the first Habitat for Humanity house built out of stone,” joked Darren Julien, president of L.A.-based Julien’s Auctions, which handled the sale.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.