Slither, Hiss and Scream..Part II

         

Continuing the sage of snake, my doggies and me

          Math is not my strong suit but some very quick calculations were forming in my mind.  Back door is open…snake is two feet from door… me, two feet from snake…broom within easy reach of my left hand.  The solution seemed simple.  With one quick swish of the broom that snake could be flying through the air and out the door.  I would immediately follow-up by slamming the glass door shut.

          I swished and the snake disappeared.  But was that outside or inside, behind the curtain hanging at the door?  I had not calculated the lip at the bottom of the sliding door and I couldn’t see any slithery thing outside.  A questioning look passed between me and my doggies.  Clueless.

          Then we all moved at once.  I slammed the glass door shut and the three of us took off up the stairs.  Being in the living room with a flight of stairs and a fairly solid door between me and snake did nothing for my nerves.  How much room does a snake need to slither under a door?  I grabbed some towels and jammed them against the quarter inch space.  Now we were safe…at least until the morning.

          Then I did stupid thing number two.  I called my husband in Texas.  Trying to remain calm, inbetween throwing furtive glances at the door, I recounted all that had transpired in the basement.  I kept repeating that I wasn’t sure if the snake was actually outside or still in our house.

          There was a long silence from my husband.  Then very gently he said: ‘Honey, just what do you want me to do?  I’m on the other side of country.’  Good point.

          The doggies and I had a fairly restless night.  At least I did.  They snored on regardless.

          The next morning it was time to be brave; this time, with a pair of hefty shoes on my feet.  Gingerly, I checked behind all the furniture in the basement being careful not to disturb anything too much.  No snake.  I walked outside with a sigh of relief.  I must have swept snake out last night after all, I thought.

          As I turned back my eye caught something curled up against the glass door.  Snake was enjoying the sunshine from within my house.

          Lots of hysterical screaming for my neighbor to present himself followed.  He got the snake out with a shovel and promptly decapitated it.  Lots more sighs of relief.  Now I was safe – definitely.

          But I was puzzled why my neighbor kept walking around my small yard, shovel at the ready.

          ‘That was a baby copperhead,’ he explained.  ‘I’m looking for its Mommy.’

          Great.  Now I could look forward to Mom coming to get me and exact revenge.

          But, all turned out okay and my basement door was never left open again.  My dogs would have to wait to be let out or leave their offerings in the middle of the floor.  Hey, I’d much rather pick up dog poop than another snake any day.

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PS.  I'll be playing tour guide to a friend who's coming to visit for a couple of weeks.  I'll resume my Blog posting towards the end of July...