Slither

SNAKE! (runs in opposite direction)

So I’m up north to check out a friend’s farmin progress. There’s a snake infested tree there. Big ones apparently. I was scared just holding the camera up to it. As if it might leap out the 8 feet between us and go straight for my jugular.

Once, as a kid, I wandered back to the woods on the edge of our property. At some point, when it was time to head home, I was at the edge of the tree line and saw this King Cobra just staring at me from many yards away. I was backed into a corner. There was no other way to pass through, unless I confronted the beast.

It swayed and stared at me. Poised to attack, I was sure.

I sat on the ground and hugged my knees, weeping silently for what seemed like hours. King Cobras in Ohio? My small mind reeled.

Finally, I looked up and noticed he hadn’t moved much. So I began a slow skirting with the precious little open space to the side. As I got closer, the details became clearer.

It was a stick.