But there is a darker side to the jungle too. I feel like I've seen enough of that with the cockroaches and tarantulas and the disturbingly enormous beetles that always drownd in the pool. But now I've seen more, and even though the jungle is great a snake in the corner of your living room is not cool. I'm not a snake hater--I'm not really afraid of them (thanks to my Dad and having one as a pet and always being taught to believe snake sightings were a good thing). But in the Jungle, and in your own house it's really a different story.
I was just sitting this morning working on my French homework (syntax and adjectives! Woohoo!) when I heard Wookie (he's Dave and Becki Thompson's dog. Lisa and I are baby-sitting him while the Thompsons were at a PAACS conference) jumping around. Then I heard this noise. Not quite a hiss and not really a growl. Not it was more like an angry snake noise--something like "khaaaaa."
I tried to reason with myself: "surely it is only a lizard" Wookie was jumping about an old suitcase that Lisa had set up nin the living room to hide away various internet and phone and electrical cords in. I walked over and Wookie was clearly attacking something behind the suitcase. Knowing the whole time that the angry hissing noises were definitely a snake.
Here is Wookie checking out the suitcase after the whole ordeal. The snake was about where Wookie is in the photo, but the suitcase was pushed closer to the wall.
Sure enough, there was an enraged black snake rearing up at Wookie and me behind the suitcase. I wanted Wookie to leave it alone. This was perhaps mostly from a selfish motivation. I did not want to be remembered as the girl that came to Bongolo and let the Thompson's dog kill itself.
So I called Wookie. I shook his vitamin bottle. He kept jumping at the snake and barking. I had no intention to go over and grab anywhere near the snake, even if it was to save the dog, but thankfully he ran around the suitcase to try a different angle and I was able to grab him and throw him in his cage.
The angry, rearing serpent seemed content enough behind the suitcase so I ran to my room to grab my cell phone and camera.
I called Lisa. No Answer.
I called Margariet. No Answer.
I wasn't quite sure what to do after that. I think I called Margariet again, and then Huub answered and said he would come over.While I was waiting I sat on the stares and watched the snake to make sure he wouldn't sneak off somewhere else. I also took a picture for you all:
This picture is a little confusing. But, that is the snake, looking up towards my camera. He is reared up (although less, he was calming down at this point I think and not half upright in the air anymore!) with his little nose pointing right at the camera and you can see his yellowish belly raised up off the ground. If you look close you can even see his wide-set eyes staring at you saying, "No worries, my venom will act in seconds , you'll hardly know what hit you!" in his cool, smooth snake-voice. Or something creepy anyway. (Click it for the full picture, my blog crops off half or so)
He stayed reared up and watching me the whole time I was waiting. Then I heard someone comming up past the window so I ran and unlocked the door and Paul and Olivier were there to save the day (or me and the dog at least) armed with poles and their machete.
Olivier came in and hacked him up. I didn't take pictures of this. Sorry. It smelled like a dead fish though. And left blood all over my floor.
Olivier went through some kind of disecting process where he took the head off and mangled it to show us his fangs. He said it was poisonous.
Lisa and I have been researching it and think he's a black mamba. Anyway, that's what we are calling it.
We went trapsing through the yard to see where he had been thrown to get a better look but we didn't find it, so I think he must've been carried off and eaten by something. Fair enough.
So there's the snake story. Then tonight I learned about someone who was bitten by a poisonous snake in our bathroom.
Life here is just so exciting!
Till next time,
Jessica
P.S. As an interesting note, this is the corner of the house where all the creepy things live I guess. I've also seen a mouse around there, then the tarantula was in the same place and now the snake. Blech. That's also the corner where I sit and work on my computer normally. Maybe I need a new place.
3 comments:
Ooooo. Gives me the willies (as my sister would say)!
Wow, what a thought that someone was bitten in your bathroom. My first thought is anxiety, my next is to turn to the loving and sovereign God and trust him since there is really no other way that's real or foolproof. We are glad you're OK and have another memorable tail (ha ha) to tell.
What a freaky thing to have happen! One good thing about living in the frozen north is that there's no snakes around to crawl around in my apartment.
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