Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Snake!

I've always liked snakes. Even way back when I was very little. My parents took me to Morocco when I was about four years old and we went to a market where a man was scaring the tourists witless by waving snakes at them, and asking if anybody was brave enough to hold one of them. I toddled out shouting 'Me! Me!' and to my parent's horror was draped with a variety of cute little reptiles. I couldn't see the problem; I liked them, they liked me.
I pestered my parents for a snake of my own, but was given a hamster instead.
A few years later, I was mostly to be found running wild in the local park, which also had a mini-zoo in it. I'd spend hours there talking to the animals and watching the snakes in their tanks.
One fine day and to my delight, I spotted a man carrying a python! I scampered over to them as fast as I could and found out that he was about to give a lecture about snakes, with pictures and so as well. When a large enough crowd had gathered, he asked if anyone was brave enough and willing to hold the snake for him so that he could show the piccies as he talked. He probably thought no-one would answer, but a voice shouted out 'Me! Me!' and I got the sweet little four foot python happily curled up on me within seconds.
For the rest of the talk, the snake curled around me as I stroked it. I was fascinated by him and he seemed to like me as well as he kept putting his face near mine and flicking his tongue at me as if saying hello.
Sadly though, the talk came to an end and the man went to take the snake back off me. But the snake had other ideas. He didn't want to go back. He liked me and was happy and comfortable where he was.
Now, if you don't already know, snakes are rather strong, even little baby four foot pythons as they are designed to kill their food by squishing them. This sweet little python was starting to put up quite a fight in his refusal to let go of me.
At no point was I at all scared; the snake wasn't squashing me whatsoever, merely holding on as tight as he could. After about twenty minutes the man was starting to panic, and I was beginning to think that I was going to have to walk around with the snake on me forever; school on Monday would have been excellent. Oh yes.
But the snake at school plan was scuppered when the man went and got a zoo keeper and a golf club from the mini-range shop and after another twenty minutes or so, they finally prised the python off me, and we bade each other a sad farewell.

You could say, the python had a crush on me...

Boom. And indeed, tish.