Skype the Magic Gecko, you know, the one from under my ass and on my wall, has the uncanny ability to materialize and dematerialize at will. That makes him difficult to photograph and impossible to catch. I’ve tried to do both, but the second Skype catches notice of you, he disappears instantaneously. It is still unknown if he has the best eyesight in the world, the best hearing in the world, or some kind of sixth sense. What is known is that his disappearing act is incredible.

This morning I opened the bathroom door and surprised the little demon. He bolted for the exit and squeezed underneath the half closed door. I saw his little tail sticking out, so I opened the door and swung my head around to maybe finally see him in good light in all his tiny majesty. Instead I peered down at empty tile. Poof. Gone.

Earlier tonight I had the lights out while I watched the brilliant Capote on “DVD” and saw a faint shadow on the wall near the TV stand, Skype’s “home.” I stood up slowly, watching my feet as to not tip over my water bottle. When I looked up, the shadow, and Skype, had vanished.

Shortly thereafter I pre-prepared the camera and set it near the couch, just in case he made another appearance. I was determined to finally catch a decent picture. Manual mode, manual focus. Flash on, shutter speed at 200, aperture set to 8, full zoom, manual focus to about 3 feet, the closest I’ve ever gotten to him.

And then I noticed something interesting. I keep it relatively cool in my apartment, never more than 24 or 25 degrees C. I noticed Skype sitting on the block transformer from the speakers I was using for the movie. I thought it was cute that he might be using the transformer like a hot rock, warming his little body. But, of course, when I moved into position for the shot, blink, gone.

A few minutes later, hoping Skype was still a bit chilly, and feeling a little lucky, I rechecked the rock, and blink, he was back. This time I used all the ninjitsu skills I could muster, got into position silently, moving in slowly closer, closer, SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!

Finally I got one. Three shit ones, and one OK one. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the first decent photo of my magic pet gecko, Skype, warming himself on my speakers’ transformer.

Soon I will catch him and make him my slave.