Friday actually started off really great. For two days we'd been hearing a kitten cry outside our office in the bushes and I was finally able to find him, take him to the vet to be checked out, and then home to be cared for like he deserved. (More on that story later!) On the way home from the vet with a kitten in a box on my front seat I saw a big turtle in the road trying to cross over in front of traffic. I jumped out of my car, picked up the turtle, ran him to the other side of the road, and waved thanks to all the people I stopped in traffic. I thought, "Man, I've saving animals right and left!" (I'll leave out the part about my car door swinging shut with the motor running and kitten inside. Thankfully the door didn't lock before I got back to the car. Lesson learned: take the time to shut off the engine and take the key.)
When I got home I tucked the kitten safely away in our bathroom, fed my kitties, and then proceeded to get the place ready for Shirin, Gabriel and the boys who were due in that night. I parked my car at the street's edge so they could pull in to the top of the driveway and as I walked back I noticed a snake near my mailbox. It wasn't a very big snake, maybe six inches long, but I'd never seen that type of snake before.
What to do? Normally I'd get Saeed to come look at it with me to see what he thinks, but he was still in California. Then I thought about the fact that two cute little boys would soon be running around outside and decided not to take any chances. I ran over the snake with my car; it was awful. I can still see it. I felt upset but relieved, thinking that I'd protected my grandchildren from possible danger.
When I walked back up to the house I saw another snake on the sidewalk leading to the side door and another one on the sidewalk leading to the back door. I reasoned that a nest of snake eggs must have hatched and that being the strong, capable, Midwestern woman that I am I would kill them as well and save my family from certain doom. I was worried about the possibility of more snakes and called Saeed who was 3,000 miles away to see if he thought I should do something more.
Saturday, Gabriel's friend David came over and looked at my picture of the snake. He said he didn't think it looked poisonous. I was shocked. Really? I thought they were copperhead babies. So are you saying I've killed three animals thinking that they may be poisonous and they probably weren't? I was horrified, but the weekend was busy and I shoved it to the back of my mind to deal with later.
Well this morning was later. As I was taking my shower it hit me, and it hit me hard. I killed three little snakes that didn't need to die. And I was the one who did it. I, the one who will pick up spiders and ants to take them out of the house instead of killing them. I, the one who will stop her car in traffic to save a turtle. I, who would rather skip a meal than eat meat. I, who will pay more for a bottle of shampoo because animals were not harmed in the making of that product. I violently killed three snakes. I cried while taking my shower, and thinking about it I'm teary now.
I am so sorry little snakes. You were beautiful and minding your own business. I was wrong to do what I did but I didn't know any better. I thought you might hurt Cyrus and Kai, but I didn't stop to figure out if you were poisonous first. I'm still not actually positive you weren't poisonous, but I think you just a cute little trio of worm snakes. I am sorry. I am so very sorry.
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