of snakes and swords

For the past couple of months I have been undergoing a self-imposed regime of 'missionary training' in regards to the spiders which frequent my room.  I cowardly left them for my roommate until a sermon convicted me, and since then I have taken the role of killing (or removing) all that I find. There have been a couple trying moments (such as finding one on my pillow one morning) but

A couple of days ago, I overheard a conversation in which they were talking about the snakes which were on campus last summer.  (snakes!  I didn't realize I was that far south!)  But apparently they were only small, harmless garden snakes, very manageable.  Still didn't sound like too much fun, especially if one was to slither into my room.  But I figured there was a bit of time before snake season began. . .

So today, as a couple of us girls were in the student centre getting set up for a birthday lunch, one of the guys bursts in -

"Hey girls, we just thought that you should know, there is a rattlesnake out by the bridge"

!!

I knew I should have stayed in Canada.

We all ran to the window, and crowded around to see this snake. 

I'm afraid we reacted a bit like the stereotypical female.



snake and sword



Activity around the bridge drew our attention back, as one of the guys arrived with something to deal with the snake.   No shovel for our guys - they brought a sword.  Oh I laughed, even while pondering what exactly they were planning on doing with it.  Yet the laughter soon ended as they started poking and prodding the snake.  We would have been a lot more comfortable if we had found out that it was not a rattlesnake when the guys did.  As it was, we were watching their 'snakecharming' antics with baited breath.

Eventually it was caught and then they started walking across campus with their captive.  Walking across campus - in the direction of my dorm.  They threw the snake over the fence and returned.  Us girls agreed that we would feel better knowing it was gone (like gone, gone) 

All I can say is that I hope it never finds it's way to my room - I'm pretty sure you cannot kill a snake like that with a shoe and a wad of paper towel.