a list with pics, click all the aligator lizards, look at them, and then scroll the list down to skinks and look at some of them.
http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/lizards.html
I find that both the aligator lizard some species and skinks, are the closest thing to what you explain you saw,snake like with small legs.
Wish you luck figuring it out, hehehe gotta run. If you find
out let me know ! 
Better yet if ya have a digital camera, and ever see your friend again take his pic, someone here will know what he is! 
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Eve
