Snake – Fear – Age – Don’t mix

Snakes have always been exciting part of my life they have occupied my dreams or played along or bite across. Its not like my previous encounters are less frightful or the last was most, anyway I had already got bitten in a birthday party at the age of 13 and didn’t even care to tell anyone till i had my share of cake

It was dull morning the previous night I left late from office and continued some left overs in home as pushed me to sleep real late I got up late. It’s my routine that I roam around my home while I brush its sort of ritual to me given that ours is a independent home someone have to ensure everything is at check. Switched on the computer to check mail I performed my ritual and OMG! I spotted a dead crow, poor life I never throw them into waste, if I spot them dead instead I bury them completing the earth cycle in my garden so it nourishes my plants. To my knowledge my garden gave rest for my 5 pet dogs, couple of squirrels and birds never for a crow though.

Then I saw the vacant land near by which is just separated by 3 foot wall from ours, since its not constructed yet and I used to play badminton there long back I show some affection to it. That affection has flourished into two big Vatham tree, I don’t know its English translation posting an image instead. Thought I could nourish them this time so started digging a pit there, given that monsoon is here so is mosquito I had to fight them but it was really difficult then I decided to light some twigs and leaves there so fire and smoke would force them away.

I put my crow bar in between lump of dry banana leaves and moved it close to me, felt a strange wet leaf crawling my leg. Wait how can a leaf crawl? I bend down to see its astonishing, its shiny brown is so different and moving whats it!! my heart stopped. I jumped the 3 foot compound in one shot I had no difficulty with adrenaline pumping across all tissues. I was trying my best to call my wife ‘Ga…’ was all that I could make.

I jumped across Well landed after dashing small bucket, hitting my hears couple of times thinking it had stopped beating and I have to do it to live finally after 5 mins things came clear. I called her first look she knew I’m not ok given that now I’m drenched in sweat, when I told that she started panicking as if it bitten me now. But made some fun later that when she was on similar situation as child she took is so easy, probably its the age c’mon I have played cricket with snakes. I know snakes won’t harm unless you step on them which I did when I was 13 though I had disturbed it now, I didn’t hurt it. Moreover most Indian snakes are not poisonous as they sound.

There is a saying in Tamil roughly translated as “An army will tremble on seeing snake”, may be its correct. Just the sight of it foxed me given that it was about 6 feet long. I have to say I’m so thankful to God that I’m here and writing this blog. But nothing stopped me from completing the last rights for the poor bird, I had my cousin who happened to visit our home cover me and buried it My last blog concluded with tears that I might not see my friendly snake ever again now I’m praying that I must not see it ever again.