Slithern

I'm sitting in the lanai with the foot up - doctor's orders - just vegging and I see a movement out of the corner of my eye. A flash of color moved really fast behind the potted peace Lillie's. A million and a half anoles scurry around inside the lanai. I hear they eat bugs so I am happy they have decided to live in my lanai. And the babies are so cute. The cat loves to catch them and terrorize them.

All of a sudden right next to potted peace Lilly number two out pops the head of a snake. A harmless black snake but still a snake. I am positively terrified of snakes. A first class snake phobic. I'm paralyzed with fear and can't move due to the bum foot. The foolish boot I have to wear on my foot weighs about ten pounds and would slow down my exit if I tried to move. I suppose I could give the snake a quick wack in the head with the boot and kill him instantly.

He's a black snake - harmless but still frightening to me. I make eye contact with him and he makes eye contact with me. For a second or so our eyes are locked and our bodies are immobile. Then, the spell is broken and he slithers away, Fast. I think he was more afraid of me than I was of him.

So, now I'm feeling spooked sitting out here with my foot up thinking about snakes. I keep searching the floor for any more movement but he doesn't return. My nerves are frazzled and my vulnerability is exposed. I just don't like snakes.