Dad and Snakes

Janet with her snake around the arm reminded me of a couple of snake stories, both were traumatic to me. Story 1. When I was a child of 7 years old we lived on Woodvine Street in Sough Boise across Boise Ave. and down the hill near an irrigation ditch lived piles and piles of snakes, baby snake and the like. My friends and I thought it to be bun to take some home and put them in my mother’s dishwater. Not fun at all I got a whipping. One day as we played with the snakes one went up my pant leg all that squirming around led me to believe I was in danger. I couldn't get my clothes off fast enough. This began my big fear of snakes.

Story 2. In the summers when I was young I got to go down on the farm and be with grandpa. Sometimes I got to dive the tractor (well I thought I was) and I had some chores. I got 10cents a day to feed the chickens, I was good at it; it bought me lots of bubble gum. I would get the grain out of the barn. One day as I reached into the sack a big black snake came out. It reminded me of the snake up the pants only he was much bigger. I went screaming bloody murder back up to the house. Uncle Ted (really cousin Ted) said what’s a matter? SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKE!!! After I calmed down I related my problem. Ted said don't worry I'll take care of it. He got his gun and went to the barn-then the loud sound of a gun. Ted came back to the house and said it was safe to go feed the chickens. Soooo dumb as a little kid could be I ran down to the barn, swung open the door to the barn, and walked face into the dead snake hanging suspended in the air. The horror was beyond anything I could imagine. To this day I can't be around any snake. I HATE SNAKES! I repeat, I HATE SNAKES! KEEPS THOSE SNAKES AWAY FROM ME! True stories.