The Event ~ Startled by a Rattlesnake

Last week I was startled when I walked upon a snake while out on a real estate call with Tim.  Not a big snake ~ only about an inch in diameter and about two feet long.  He was pretty much stretched out, half in the weeds and half on the sidewalk.    I've encountered snakes in the past, and it's always startling, but they are usually garden snakes, or bigger bull snakes.  I even picked one up, years ago in Bayard,  off the garage step only to have it twist it's head around and bite me in the finger ~ a puncture on each side of the finger.  A snake is suppose to be picked up by its head, but I guess I wasn't close enough to the head to immobilize it.  Actually, a snake isn't suppose to be picked up at all!!

So I walk up on this snake, startled, and stand there for all of at least two minutes, first wondering what kind of snake it is, and then wondering if I should just proceed to walk around it ~ between it and the building which was about two feet of walking room.  I thought to myself, that the walking movement that close might cause him to strike.  In those two minutes of me just standing two feet away wondering what to do, the snake was constantly hissing his black tongue at me, his beady little eyes not losing contact with me. 

The rattle was there, but then, I've never heard a real rattlesnake, and all snakes tend to make some funny kind of noise, so I still wasn't sure if I should just continue to walk aroaund it towards the car. I thought just don't bother him and he won't bother me.   The rattle continued and I really got concerned, so I backed away and went back inside the building where Tim and the owner were talking.  I asked if he had rattlesnakes in the area, and he said not that he was aware of.

We all went back out, and the snake had since coiled up beside the building in the same place.  Sure enough it was a rattlesnake.  The owner got a shovel, hit it over the head and then cut the head off with the shovel blade.  Then Tim tells me that small rattlesnakes are more deadly than big ones, and that snakes can strike up to at least the distance of the length of their body.  Like the two feet distance between it and me!!

So all that time I was within instant striking distance of that snake, way too close for way too long.  And being barefoot in open sandals, he could have struck like lightening, and I wouldn't be around to be writing this now.  Gees, that gives me the creepy willies! 

Genesis 3:15 says: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."  Women and snakes have been bitter enemies since Eve encountered the snake in the Garden of Eden and succombed to its temptation. 

That snake almost bruised my heel, but we bruised its head instead!  That is one event I don't want to repeat!