ArthurWood
New member
Funny thing happened in our house as we were unpacking the other evening: wife called me to come and look at something on TV. As I emerged from our bedroom (single-storey house) I saw a 3ft X 1.5" snake in the corridor between me and the lounge. At first I thought my wife was fooling around as one of our boys used to have a rubber joke snake, but then it moved!! I shouted oh s--t, s--t,s--t,s--t (so my wife told me afterwards) and told her to stay where we she was, which of course she didn't. When she saw it she started leaping up and down - she's scared to death of snakes but has a fascination with them in that she has to look at them (Freudian?). I'm thinking 'what the hell do I do now,' as I couldn't get past it. It didn't look aggressive, ie it wasn't coiled as if to strike- in fact it looked quite friendly! Decided to call 911 from our bedroom. Police dispatcher was very understanding-could hear wifey frantic in background-told us to stay calm and an officer would be there in a few minutes. I should stand outside to make it easier for him to locate our house. I leave our bedroom but snake has gone into magazine rack in spare bedroom (wifey still jumping up and down). Told wifey to keep eye on snake while I go outside to meet police officer who arrives almost immediately. He takes long pole with noose on end from boot of his car and follows me inside house. Snake nowhere to be seen. Wifey still jumping! From description, officer thinks it's a harmless rat snake (our book says it's more like a deadly cottonmouth, but they don't live in FL). Officer advises me to close bedroom door and wait out side in case snake makes dash for it. He couldn't find snake, so I open door carefully and see snake's head poking out from under put-u-up bed. Officer tries to 'lassoo' it but snake too quick. We decide to up-end the put-u-up. No snake. Return bed to upright and see tail protruding. Officer pokes pole under bed and snake shoots with surprising speed to other side of room and behind books. Officer 'lassoos' tail and drags it out. Tells us to stand back as snake not very happy. Takes it outside and releases it on other side of road in bushes. (It's illegal to kill snakes). Snake takes to the road, so officer flicks it and it disappears down a storm drain. Turned out officer is ex-marine who was once posted in St Mawgan. However, after this incident he was pale and sweating and told us they he didn't like snakes! After carefully looking around the house and especially in our bed in case the snake had left its family behind, we retired to bed. Well, that's our excitement for this week, at least until I get the bill for my boat engines' overhaul!
