One of the various sanity-optional behaviors I practice is to add small rituals to my life in support of the illusion that reality has meaning. One of those rituals is that, when doing the mall walk at Gurnee Mills, I say, “Hello” to the animatronic crocodile at Rainforest Cafe. Regardless of the presence or absence of people, I lean over the parapet and say, “Hello, Goose.” The name is a reference to Gustave, a 20 foot Nile crocodile who has reportedly killed more than 300 people. Continue reading