Thursday, January 24, 2013

Earliest Memories #07: Snake

It was around the afternoon when I found myself walking back to school with a couple of my classmates. I'm not exactly sure what grade I was at the time. I just remember the cloudy yet sunny day. All was well, I was happy. Happy to be with some good people and happy to have no serious problems at the time. I was lucky despite many things I would've wished to be different in my life as a kid.
Not exactly sure why we were even in that part of the town. I just don't quite remember. Thinking back now, it seemed like we had a little business headin' towards the end of the town there at a classmate's house. So on our way back, at the middle point of the town, I could even pass by my grand parents' house where I lived at the time. All was well and it was just another day in the life of a normal kid.

(The one I saw looked like this, but a bit darker)

Snakes are quite the majestic creatures. I don't know much about them aside from the few facts I've read or heard of. Cold-blooded and carnivorous, silent and unseen until they strike. They are one of nature's deadliest predators. Of course, not all of them are exactly deadly in terms of their ability to kill humans through venom injection. But those that have the reputation for being notorious killers, are known for a reason. I can't really say that I'm afraid of them, but at the same time, I don't see myself owning one as a pet. At least not one that is venomous and dangerous to handle. Maybe someday, but it's definitely not something I have a priority for at the moment.

Back to that afternoon, we were walking down the street and I saw this pile of gravel and rocks that are often used for road construction. They are usually found just dumped on the side of the road in preparation for an upcoming roadwork. I saw it and decided to jog myself towards it and pass right on top towards the other side, instead of the boring walk on the street that the majority of us decided to do. Even back then, I liked complicating simple things just for the sake of having a bit of fun.
I walked on top of the pile and as I was going down the other side, I saw a long and black figure of what appeared to be a snake hastily making its way towards the left side of the road into the bushes. On grass or water, perhaps it could've moved faster. But I've always thought that it didn't really do well because it was on rocks and gravel. It slithered on the ground in a wiggly, for a lack of better term, fashion.
It was the first time I've ever seen a snake in person. it didn't scare me. Mainly because it was gone as soon as I saw it. I told my friends what I saw and they couldn't believe me. But then a man approached us and said that he did in fact see the snake as well. The next thing I know, we were throwing rocks at the bushes where the serpent supposedly hid. We never saw it come out of hiding. But it's a memory I won't forget for a very long time and up to this day I still remember it. The people who were with me, I can't really recall anymore. And the reason why I was even there also eludes me. But the experience of seeing a snake for the first time (that's not inside a cage, at least) was something I still remember up to this day.

It wasn't exactly my close encounter with a snake. In fact, I've seen one closer to my face back in kindergarten school. But it was in a cage and I remember my grand mother donating kittens to feed it. Back then, I thought it was scary and just okay. But thinking back now, it was a bit cruel to the kittens and I kinda feel bad. But I was raised in a 3rd world country where things like that along with physical discipline in households or in school (primary) were acceptable. Maybe nowadays they don't do it anymore. But I've had my fair share of disciplinary actions back in grade school.

Oh, and I also ate snake before. It tasted good. But maybe because my uncle said it was chicken. Then he later told me it was snake meat. -_-

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