Snake City

So I thought I was done hanging where death lives (aka snake city), but it seems I have found the suburbia of snake city. You know, The Husband actually got bit by a copperhead in Arkansas and though he lived to tell the tale, I am still terrified of the beastly creatures.

The completely irrational fear has been renewed as of late here in the Oklahoma panhandle. (Maybe it isn't a completely irrational fear. I mean snakes do bite and can cause death occasionally.) We found out recently that the home we were previously in - as in two months ago - has a snake living in the bush by the back door. I always had a sneaky suspicion of that bush, but I had no proof and therefore, I was being paranoid. Additionally, we were told that they took a different 3 foot rattlesnake of the same lot a week ago. YUCK!

To be fair I will admit, I am somewhat paranoid about snakes. People always say that, but it is so very true with me. I have fears that I can conquer, you know get my mind around them and it's fine, but not with snakes. I have a fear of heights, but I have been to the top of the Space Needle and I love high ropes courses. I have a fear of drowning, but I love going on cruises and being on a boat at the lake. However, this fear of snakes seems to beat me every time.

People laugh when I share this story, but as a child I loved Highway to Heaven. It was a good show - looking for it in syndication. So, there was this episode that has scared me for life. A woman in a large apartment building claimed a snake was coming out of her toilet. No one believed her and then at some point in the show they actually show the snake coming up out of the toilet! I was something like 10 when I saw that and to this day (almost 20 years later) I occasionally get a feeling a snake is coming up out of the toilet while I am doing my business. I will stop whatever is going on and look. I'm a FREAK!

Not that this phobia is new, but it is intesified now that I know there are snakes roming free nearby...down the road! About 2 weeks ago The Husband and I were taking an evening walk with The Wee One. We took the trash to the dumpster on the way and low and behold...some IDIOT had placed a dead bull snake ON TOP of the dumpster rather than putting it in the dumpster. At first we didn't know it was dead...freak out!!! I literally ran in circles in the parking lot to get away from it. Even after The Husband determined it was no longer with us, I couldn't calm down. My heart raced for about 10 more minutes while we walked, and of course, my eyes were scanning the road and sidewalks the rest of the time for snakes.

I can't help it...I freak out...I run, I scream, I have imaginary snakes following me down the road or coming out the toilet. I am TERRIFIED of the horrible things!

So, to make it simple - if anyone ever thinks it would be funny to play a trick on me involving a snake, they better be prepared to first, calm me down and second, lose a limb or their life.

Enough said....I'm out.