A few days ago we finished school and Jeddy headed outside to play. I went into my room to put sneakers on for a walk, when Jeddy tore in, breathless and white as a sheet.
Guess how fast he can move when he inadvertently steps on a coiled-up black snake just outside the garage door?
I asked how big it was and he said, "I didn't stop to measure it!!" He did indicate that it was a couple inches thick.
The man of the house being at work, it fell to me to display no fear and protect my family from venomous monsters.
Jed didn't know if the snake continued his sunbathing after their encounter or headed into the grass or into the garage. So as I cracked open the garage door to peek through, I felt something like this:
Though Google assures me that there are no dangerous black snakes around here, I had two small children sleeping on the floor in the next basement room, and I could just see the thing slithering in at top speed to attack them.
Plus, what if it was hiding around the corner, and when I jerked the door open, it jumped out like this: "Raaaah!"
No such attack occurred, however, even as I gingerly checked under the car and all around the garage, armed with a plastic snow shovel and possibly prepared to use deadly force.
The snake seemed to have vanished entirely, and I might have thought Jeddy made the whole thing up, except I swear even his hair had turned white.
The incident ended with a motherly suggestion not to play hide and seek in the bushes next to the garage.
I know how Jed was feeling. I've encountered quite a few garter snakes in the flower bed, one or two bigger than you might expect a garter snake to be. The result is instant: images goes in at the eye and comes straight out the mouth as a blood-curdling scream. It's a primitive response. At least Jed still had the wits to make a little joke about not stopping to measure....hehe. Love your illustrations.
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