Snakes!
Today, I was walking my dogs down the sidewalk and an older woman came running out of the entryway of her house - in her socks - shouting "F*@%!, f*@%!, f*@%!"
Alarmed, I stopped. "Are you ok?" I asked.
She was in hysterics and started babbling on about the 10 inch snake hiding in a flower pot turned on its side on a rack by her front door that she just discovered. She really, really, really doesn't like snakes.
Now, I also really, really, really don't like snakes. I can't even post a picture here, let alone go inside the reptile house at the zoo. Just seeing a snake sends shivers down my spine. I am not entirely sure when this intense fear developed because there are pictures of me circa 1992 holding a boa constrictor around my neck at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, Florida, and I have a BIG smile on my face. Nevertheless, I am now terrified of them. But, I couldn't just march on by leaving this woman crying on the sidewalk in her socks! Must maintain composure.
My first attempt to resolve the situation: "Can you go back inside and wait for it to leave?" That is certainly what I would do.
"No, I'm in my socks! I can't go over there! It's going to fall on my foot!" she said. This logic doesn't make sense...but, it could fall on my foot too! I guess I have on shoes.
Desperately, I started looking around to see if anyone else was outside who could help. There was no one. Second attempt = fail.
Stalling for time, hoping someone would pop out of their house, I replied "Hmm. Do you know what kind of snake it is?" If it sounds like a dangerous snake then we can both hightail it out of there.
"It's a garter snake!" she squealed. "My friend told me not to plant these plants, or they would attract snakes."
"Ok," I said. "Do you have another flower pot I can put over the pot the snake is in?" What am I doing!? Volunteering to remove the snake!? Ew. Ew. Ew. *shiver* Ahem - Maintain composure! You have DOGS. They'll certainly protect you...from the 10 inch garter snake.
The woman said she had another flower pot and a shovel. I somehow managed to hold on to both dogs, top the flower pot the snake was hiding in with another flower pot so that the snake couldn't come out, and then shimmy my flower pot contraption onto the shovel - which I held out waaaay in front of me. I walked like this and put the pots underneath a tree across the sidewalk.
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed. "Oh my gosh, I am going to go get my shoes on. My friend said you gotta sprinkle powdered lime to keep the snakes away!"
She hugged me and then went back into her house. I continued my walk and started laughing to myself a few minutes later about the whole encounter.
I'd like to think of myself as brave enough and strong enough to handle anything life throws at me on my own. But, as I've discovered over the past several weeks, being brave enough and strong enough also means knowing when to ask for help and accepting help when it is offered.
Now, I'm off to get powdered lime.
with love,
KB
Alarmed, I stopped. "Are you ok?" I asked.
She was in hysterics and started babbling on about the 10 inch snake hiding in a flower pot turned on its side on a rack by her front door that she just discovered. She really, really, really doesn't like snakes.
Now, I also really, really, really don't like snakes. I can't even post a picture here, let alone go inside the reptile house at the zoo. Just seeing a snake sends shivers down my spine. I am not entirely sure when this intense fear developed because there are pictures of me circa 1992 holding a boa constrictor around my neck at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, Florida, and I have a BIG smile on my face. Nevertheless, I am now terrified of them. But, I couldn't just march on by leaving this woman crying on the sidewalk in her socks! Must maintain composure.
My first attempt to resolve the situation: "Can you go back inside and wait for it to leave?" That is certainly what I would do.
"No, I'm in my socks! I can't go over there! It's going to fall on my foot!" she said. This logic doesn't make sense...but, it could fall on my foot too! I guess I have on shoes.
Desperately, I started looking around to see if anyone else was outside who could help. There was no one. Second attempt = fail.
Stalling for time, hoping someone would pop out of their house, I replied "Hmm. Do you know what kind of snake it is?" If it sounds like a dangerous snake then we can both hightail it out of there.
"It's a garter snake!" she squealed. "My friend told me not to plant these plants, or they would attract snakes."
"Ok," I said. "Do you have another flower pot I can put over the pot the snake is in?" What am I doing!? Volunteering to remove the snake!? Ew. Ew. Ew. *shiver* Ahem - Maintain composure! You have DOGS. They'll certainly protect you...from the 10 inch garter snake.
The woman said she had another flower pot and a shovel. I somehow managed to hold on to both dogs, top the flower pot the snake was hiding in with another flower pot so that the snake couldn't come out, and then shimmy my flower pot contraption onto the shovel - which I held out waaaay in front of me. I walked like this and put the pots underneath a tree across the sidewalk.
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed. "Oh my gosh, I am going to go get my shoes on. My friend said you gotta sprinkle powdered lime to keep the snakes away!"
She hugged me and then went back into her house. I continued my walk and started laughing to myself a few minutes later about the whole encounter.
I'd like to think of myself as brave enough and strong enough to handle anything life throws at me on my own. But, as I've discovered over the past several weeks, being brave enough and strong enough also means knowing when to ask for help and accepting help when it is offered.
Now, I'm off to get powdered lime.
with love,
KB
Katie!!! You're so much braver than me! You're literally such a sweet and helpful person. THANK GOODNESS you're my friend :) Love you so much!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I can order powdered lime by the ton? Maybe just have a dump truck backed up to the house. This seems perfectly reasonable to me.
ReplyDelete