Gator ‘Smirking’ At Doorstep By Empty Shoes Fuels Internet Riddle

BREAUX BRIDGE, LA — This historic community in the Louisiana bayou is better known for crustaceans — Breaux Bridge calls itself the “Crawfish Capital of the World” — but it is gaining some fame for an alligator that crawled up and made itself at home on a resident’s front porch. Talk about an “unwelcome” mat.

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office posted a photo of the gator on its Facebook page Friday, leading to a delightful exchange about an at-first obscure detail — a pair of sneakers behind a potted mandevilla plant — and what some people swore was a satiated look on the alligator’s face.

The possible scenarios that unfolded are a seasonally creepy riddle with the approach of Halloween. “Love the smirk and the shoe,” someone wrote, calling it a “great Halloween display” and noting that it’s “too bad it's real.”

But what had happened to the poor soul who had once worn the shoes? Were the sneakers all that remained?

“I pray no one was eaten,” someone wrote.

Had the shoes possibly been worn by the UPS delivery driver — or, think about this — had the alligator devoured a porch pirate aiming to steal the UPS delivery?

“Try stealing their UPS packages,” one person wrote after someone else commented the alligator was a “good guard dog.”

Others saw alligator sauce piquant, alligator etouffée and other Cajun cuisine.

“First, you make a roux,” someone commented.

Chicken On The Bayou & Boudin Shop, a Breaux Bridge restaurant serving Louisiana favorites, “could make a bunch of gator burgers out of that,” another person wrote.

Some people were more serious, pointing to what one person called a growing problem in the bayou.

“That is a big one. Scary. What are we going to do with the explosion of alligators and snakes?” one person asked.

“Stop building our houses on their homes maybe?” someone retorted

Photo courtesy of St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office