The Suitcase Lady

Snakes

June 14, 2011, 10:05 pm

I once had lunch with a python.

We were in a ramada at the edge of a rain forest preserve, and our knowledgeable guide said,”We’re in luck, do you see that giant python in the rafters? He’s been digesting his dinner up there for a week.”

Everyone in our group was calm, knowing that pythons are nonvenomous and that we were lucky to see such a fine fellow.

We did not take a walk with the rattlesnake, however. After driving to the trail head in the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, I happened to glance out the car window before opening the door. A long rattlesnake was cruising across the blacktop a few feet from the car door. We waited to exit until he (or she) slithered north into the desert. Then we took the south trail head.

Our friend, Peg, has the best snake story. I first must note that she has an incredibly observant eye for nature, always spotting things the rest of us would miss.

Peg was on a guided birding hike with a group in Trinidad. She astutely observed  a snake near the path and pointed it out to the guide. He blanched. The snake was a Fer De Lance, an extremely venomous and aggressive reptile. The guide rapidly moved the group to safety.

The moral of these stories is obvious: Life is good if you keep your eyes open and your brain engaged.


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