{"product_id":"2940170240784","title":"Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator","description":"\u003cp\u003eElsie Lavender and Homer Hickam Sr.-the future parents of Homer Hickam Jr.-were high school sweethearts during the Great Depression. When Homer asked for her hand, Elsie instead headed to Orlando, where she sparked with a dancing actor named Buddy Ebsen (yes, \u003cem\u003ethat \u003c\/em\u003eBuddy Ebsen). But when Buddy headed for New York, Elsie's dreams of a life with him were crushed and eventually she found herself back in the coalfields of West Virginia, married to Homer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElsie was reminded of those carefree Florida days by Buddy's unusual wedding gift: an alligator named Albert who lived in the only bathroom in their little house. Eventually Homer gave Elsie an ultimatum: \"Me or the alligator!\" After giving it some thought, Elsie concluded there was only one thing to do-carry Albert home.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47098315800816,"sku":"2940170240784","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940170240784_p0.jpg?v=1763706045","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940170240784","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}