Snake!

SNAKE JAR

pastel

4" x 6"

 

Snake! (Warning, not for the squeamish)

 I’ve had many snake encounters (not including the human-kind) but this was the first time I had to kill one.  Last night a snake was in the front hall.  Red, yellow, and black... could be poisonous!  Home alone, couldn’t call for help!  First thought was for my dogs... they sensed my fear and were extremely obedient as I let them out the back door.  I grabbed a broom and went back to the front hall, relieved to see the snake still in the same spot.  Opened the front door and thought I’d be able to whisk it outside.  Snake only wanted to race towards the clutter of my studio.  I  trapped it in a corner with the broom.  “Red and black will kill Jack, red and yellow, a friendly fellow...?”  Didn’t matter, couldn’t have a snake in the house.  Would give both my mother and myself a heart attack.  Snake was wiggling out of the broom bristles.  I wasn’t brave enough to grab its neck.  Nothing nearby to catch it in.  Couldn’t catch it, couldn’t let it go.  Only thing I could reach was a heavy bronze plaque engraved with “On this site in 1897 Nothing Happened.”  Now I’ll have to add... snake killed here.  Sorry.  It wasn’t the dangerous coral snake after all... it was a non-poisonous, scarlet king snake.  I feel terrible about killing it, but there was no time for research during the moment.   A necessary accident.   For future reference... “Red and yellow will kill a fellow.  Red and black’s a friend of Jack.”