Thursday, October 22, 2009

Yuck!

I got home on Tuesday afternoon after having spent a really hectic day at work. I just wanted to put my feet up for a few minutes before I start doing some laundry. I go inside and change out of my work clothes and into an old comfy pair of flannel pants and a long-sleeve shirt.

I take the Step-Dog outside to do his business after having been cooped up all day. I used to be able to let him out and then when he was done doing his thing, he would come right back to the door and wait for me to let him in. Since spending time with his grandparents, (my in-laws) he has decided that he doesn't have to listen at home. (Happens with kids, why not animals, right?!) Usually, by putting him on the leash several times in a row reminds him that in this house we have rules and he needs to abide by them. For whatever reason, I did not put his leash on this time.

So, the dog is out doing his thing while I am talking on the phone to Crazy Man. I am watching him wander around the yard when he stops and sniffs at something and then jumps back.

Not uncommon. I figure he has found a frog or a cricket or a leaf or something. I holler at him when he sniffs and jumps for the third time. This time, something pops up and all I see is white.

I take a couple steps toward him when my mind kicks in and lets me know that the white I am seeing is a snake. I have no idea what kind of snake other than a live one and I am not keen on that fact.

I have always been told that the inside of a cotton mouth's mouth is white (makes sense) and that they open it to show off and try to frighten whoever startled them away. Now, whether this is true or not, I don't know nor do I care. What I do know and care about is the fact that I don't like snakes not one little bit and if it is a cotton mouth, they are poisonous and will kill the step-dog in one quick strike.

I call the dog away from it and he comes running while I am also running to the house to get....a gun. Not a big rifle like you would think a country girl would have. Nope. A handgun. A pistol. A 38 to be exact.

The Boy comes quick when I call for him and we get back outside to find the icky thing. Crazy Man is still on the phone and he keeps asking me what kind of snake it is (like I care!) and where his dog is.

I get the gun and head toward where the critter was when I last saw him. Believe it or not, he is still there. I am going to assume that it was cool enough that he was not his quick moving self, or he would have already been gone. Either that or he didn't think that I knew how to shoot this gun that I have in my hand. Or maybe he was suicidal and was hoping that I did know how to use it.

I was not getting to within 20 feet of the thing, so I take a shot. Matter of fact, I take 5 shots. I told you....I do not like snakes! After I had done all the damage I could do, I told Crazy Man that his job was to come home and get the thing out of my yard. He just laughed and said he would do so.

At this point, I go inside to put the gun away and to get the dog a treat. He doesn't come when I call him. I call and call and no little dog. So, I go back outside and call and call and still no little dog. I look in the garage and under the beds and everywhere I can think of and no little dog. The car door is open, so I check inside the car and don't see him there either. I even look back over to where the dead snake is to make sure I didn't shoot the dog!

After about 15 minutes, I start my search all over again with a flashlight so I can look in all the dark areas that I may have missed. I can not find this silly dog. I open the car door to look one last time and I sweep through with my flashlight. There he is. All curled up in a ball on the front passenger floorboard shaking like a leaf! Poor silly dog thought I was gonna shoot him I guess.

A couple hours later, Crazy Man got home and we went over to look at the damage that I caused. I took my camera also so that I could take a few photos. I was still several feet away and using the heck out of the camera's zoom. After I had taken several shots of it, Crazy man says "are you sure it is dead?" and nudges it with his foot.

That nearly in half, supposedly dead snake raises his head up! The thing was still alive! Crazy Man jumped and I screamed. Crazy Man finally, definitely, killed the thing.

What kind was it? Who cares. It was a live snake. And I don't like them. At all. Period. Would you want this thing looking at you?

1 comment:

  1. OMGosh you know how to use a gun1 I am so impressed...guns scare me even though i own 2 hunters and we have a gun safe full of guns....oh i dont like snakes either LOL

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