Why'd It Have To Be Snakes?!

I know people who are scared to death of snakes; who won't look at them and who certainly would not want to be in the same place with one. Thank goodness I am not one of those people. Not saying that I would love to look down and see one slithering by my feet, but I would not panic, scream, and run.

When I was in high school, my father took a full-time job managing the grounds of a private estate. This involved clearing the property of trees, underbrush, and poisonous plants. He also had to manicure the property, plant new foliage and flowers, and clear an area for a fairly large vegetable garden. That might sound simple and easy—but hey—it wasn't, particularly in Charleston where the summer gets so hot and humid. And this area had lots and lots and lots of snakes... and an alligator.

This property had an island that could only be accessed by foot over a small earthen dam. We lived on the property but not on the island. I loved to take long walks around the property because everything was so beautiful and the more my dad cleared and worked it, the more beautiful it became.

It was not unusual for me to walk out our back door and find a snake or two curled up on our patio sunning themselves—or whatever they like to do! How do you read the thoughts of a snake?

I was dating David at the time, and on this particular day, my father was working over on the island. We decided we would walk over to visit him and, not locating him immediately, we decided to check the backside of the island where we were sure he must be.

Aha! We spotted him.

We were walking toward him and had stopped for a moment under a tree when my dad picked up his shotgun and aimed it right at us.

“Wow!” I thought, “he must be ticked off with us about something!”

All of a sudden – BAM! POW!

Dad had fired the shotgun at us!?! What??? Surely not!!!

My dad was trying to kill us??? Why???

Should we run or just stand there and be taken out???

Dad lowered the shotgun.

I thought as he walked towards us, “Is he coming closer for better aim?”

He raised his hand and pointed in our direction.

“What are you pointing at,” I said.

David and I turned to where he was pointing and we saw it...

A snake—a huge black water moccasin!

We were just standing right by it! David said it looked exactly like the roots of the tree. It was amazing how well that snake blended in with its surroundings. We never saw it!

We both breathed a sigh of relief as David’s color began to return to his face.

As I mentioned before, my dad's job was not easy. Besides killing over 300 poisonous snakes, there were other obstacles to overcome. The water had been full of ducks, fish, and turtles, but my father noticed that they were slowly disappearing.

One day when he was fishing, he spotted a 10 to 12-foot alligator. He ran into the house to let us know the reason this was happening.

Are you kidding me! I would sit for hours by the water and fish from the bank!

I... I would sunbathe on the bank!

I would picnic on the bank!

I could have been eaten on the bank!!!

My father tried numerous times to get the Fish and Wildlife Service to take care of the problem with the alligator, only to be told—after three or four conversations—that he would have to handle the problem himself. So, he and a friend decided to spend the day hunting that alligator.

And hunt they did.

By the end of the day, they spotted the gator on the shore. They shot it, dragged it across the island, and displayed their day's work for all to see.

I never looked at the water or the island quite the same after that.

What had once been a place of relaxation, I now approached with caution. Those wonderful lazy summer days resting on the bank—they didn't happen after that.

From then on, I enjoyed the lake “from a distance.”

What appeared to be a little slice of heaven had its hidden dangers, and I saw the warning signs.

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

~ Jeannie Joyner