Childhood Memories - The Snake

In honor of my husband's science unit on "snakes" I thought I would post a little memory from my childhood about a snake. I grew up in Mississippi where there are lots and lots of snakes. My cousin and my closest friend at the time, lived out in the country next to my grandparents. I spent as much time as possible out there playing in the woods and along the creek. (As a matter of fact, by first memory of a deliberate lie had to do with me telling my parents that my grandmother had agreed that we could come out one Sunday, when in reality, she had said that is wasn't a good day, since she and my grandfather were both sick. - More about lying and it's impact on another day.)

Anyway - on this particular summer day, my cousin and I were hunting snakes. She had a big ball jar to catch one in. I gleefully went along - not knowing what i was getting into. So there we were, about 1/2 mile from the house, lurking along the wooded side of an open field, when Jane spotted one. In that moment I became absolutely petrified with fear. And she was gleefully chasing down the snake. She captured it in her jar and came back to show me her treasure. I thought I was going to throw up. She was quite amused as all the color drained from my face. She said, "Aw, it's just an ole garter snake - here - hold it!"

Oh, my, I think I set an Olympic record, running back to the house as fast as I could go. She never let me live down the fact that I was a "city girl" after that episode. I have never liked snakes since then.

And then there's the story about the water moccasin swimming across my feet as I waded near the shore of my aunt's pond....oooooh!