Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom

"Snakes. Why does it always have to be snakes!?" Harrison Ford's character, Indiana Jones, shared my extraordinary distaste for these scaly, reptilian creatures. Personally, I haven't met or seen a snake yet that wouldn't be better off dead on a pair of boots. Sure, I've touched them at a zoo and look at them in the pet stores, but that's about as up close and personal as I care to get.



If you haven't gathered by now, I don't like snakes. And, as I alluded in my previous posts I nearly met my Maker on the trail through Pecos National Monument. Just minutes after taking the picture I just published in my last post, we all proceeded down the trail around the corner you see in that picture. Avery and Erin were walking ahead of Holly and I, which scares the living crap out of me to think what might have happened. Anyway, we're walking along taking in the mountains around us, the plants along the trail, and the ruins. In fact, I think I was looking at a very large ant hill and commenting to Holly how the ant hills out here are huge when she calmly grabbed my left arm and said the word I never enjoy hearing..."snake".



Keep in mind that Holly is not too fond of snakes, either. That makes it even more comical...that is, that she was the "calm" one between us. She calmly said "Snake, Jody", and pulled me to the side a bit. At this moment I looked down and see this guy less than 18 inches away from my flip-flopped foot.

Have you ever seen the drum major for Florida A&M, or any other traditionally black college, lead their band onto the field? That was me at this moment. I was high stepping like Deion Sanders trying to get away from this thing! And the best part...if you had audio...you could hear me screaming like a school girl. I don't know what was more likely to kill me, the venom from a rattlesnake bite or the heart attack from sheer terror.

It's funny....now, at least. Marcus, take a breath...somebody get him a paper bag before he hyperventilates! When we got back to the visitor's center and told the park ranger, he said he sees them out there from time to time. Then, I showed him this picture. He looked at me and said, "Wow! I've never seen one that big before." Gee, just my luck.

Holly and I were laughing later. We had said a little prayer before we left home asking God to watch over us and protect us on our trip, and also to show us his wonders. I suppose he's got a sense of humor, too!