Story from long ago.

Youngest son and I were talking and he said he'd never heard this one before and he wanted me to put it here. So....

My first snake.

I know I was 5 or 6 because my family and Dad's youngest brother and his wife were living in the double farm house south of town. Dad and Uncle D. left me with Grand Mom D. while they were fixing a fence on Grand Dad D's. farm. The fence was across a busy highway and down a long lane, across a small pasture and across the creek. When Grand Mom decided to send them some lemonade that hot afternoon, I begged to take it. She filled a quart jar, took me by the hand across the highway, and then let me go on my own from there. Dad and Uncle D. had driven the tractor over but I had to walk. It was a long way for a little girl and I still remember how proud I was to be trusted with this chore.

I made it all the way to the creek where I could see Dad and Uncle D. on the other side. They saw me coming.....or maybe they heard me singing. I'm told I sang all the time from the time I could hum till I drove them all crazy. Anyway, Dad yelled at me to take my shoes off before I came across the creek. Mom would kill us both if I got my shoes wet.

So I sat down on the grassy creek bank, laid the quart jar down and started to untie the shoes. That's when something wiggled. I looked down and there was a huge black snake coiled up underneath me. He was probably just minding his own business getting some sun when I plopped down on him. I may have startled him, but he scared me witless. I jumped straight up and crossed that creek and climbed up the first pant leg I came to. All the way up into my Uncle D's. arms. They were laughing, but Dad finally remembered the shoes and said a bad word. Uncle D grabbed my foot and started laughing harder. My shoes were dry. I'd crossed the creek without getting either foot wet. Or anything else. But the lemonade was still on the other side and Dad had to take his shoes off to go get it. No way was I going back over there.