Sunday, April 17, 2011

Patty Ann the Mighty Snake Slayer

One time when Patty and Gerald and family were visiting us, my mom happened to look out the window and to see our cat playing with a snake. This sent Mommy and Patty into a tizzy! There was no way that a snake could ever be allowed to live in our backyard! Mom would yell out in terror every time the cat would swat at the snake and the snake would strike back at the cat. Patty was terrified but her mama bear instinct kicked in because she had to protect her children and her nieces and nephew.
The problem was that Daddy and Gerald were no where to be found. All of the kids were running around the yard yelling with glee at the prospect of killing a snake. Mommy and Patty wouldn't hear of allowing us anywhere near the vicinity of that tiny little serpent. We went next door but Wimpy wasn't home and it was usually his designated job to keep our yards snake free. However there was a telephone repairman who happened to be working up on the power pole down by Star Market.
When we asked him to kill the snake, he said, "no way, I'm terrified of snakes."
He did, however, come down and witness Patty, the great snake slayer, at her most mighty. She clutched the very tip of the hoe that we found for her and bravely slung the business end at the snake. She missed! She was terrified and she was holding that hoe so far down the shaft that she had no control over where it was landing. But she bravely swatted and cursed at that snake until she finally killed it. At least I think she killed it. The poor thing may have fled for it's life.
Patty was the hero that day, even the telephone repairman told her so. Once again our yards were safe for us to play.

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