That slithering reptile and I have a wonderful history. We meet regularly. Unexpectedly. And I lose a few years of life, thanks to the sudden rush of adrenaline all through my blood vessels and the spontaneous overworking of my heart.
Ever since we moved into our new house (not so new now) 3 years back, we'd heard stories about how people here found snakes in their homes...some found them in their bathrooms, others in their gardens, some 'lucky' ones found them on their beds, occupying it as if the bed were the snake's rightful place, not that poor human being's. There was this one day, when we were still in the process of doing the interior, that mom came home with photos of a snake caught at the home of our to-be neighbours. We were excited. Previously, my only tryst with a snake had been watching one cross the road as I cycled...that too from a distance. When we moved into this current home, we were told it was only a matter of time before we became members of the sacred group "Snakes In Our Home". It took a year, but we did get there.
I don't remember if I'd written about the snake visit last year. It was a day before Diwali. I opened my bathroom door to find something on the wash basin. Something that did not look like an earthworm. Something that was definitely a snake. We called the concerned people and after an hour of intense searching, they found it hidden under the lining of the wash basin. That was tiny. Although initially scared, I managed to gather my wits together in time, and enjoyed watching the whole process.
My second time was the scary one. If I die at 65 years of age, I shall always say in Heaven that I was supposed to die at 70 years, but that fateful day changed that equation forever. It was evening. I was watching TV. For some unknown reason, I decided to watch till 6:30 pm instead of 6:00 pm. I heard some bottles fall. Since they are kept near the window, it's usually due to the wind. So, I looked up expecting to see an empty window. Instead, I saw a thick black rope hung in a U-shape around it. It was moving. Told myself I was imagining things. How could a rope move?? And even if it was, it would be outside the window. Because, all the doors were closed and all our windows have the mosquito screens placed. I couldn't see properly because the kitchen lights were switched off. That sort of made it worse.
Then, without any warning, that rope moved faster and twirled around the sink taps!! Crap. It was a snake. INSIDE MY HOUSE. AND THERE WAS NOTHING BUT EMPTY FLOOR BETWEEN IT AND ME. That was the moment I realised what petrified with fear is like. I couldn't move. I couldn't remember where I'd kept my cell phone. When I tried the landline, I couldn't remember my parents' cell phone numbers. When I got my phone out of my room, I couldn't operate it properly. When I finally got through to my mom, even her assistant realised there was something majorly wrong, my voice was so shaky. Yes, that day, I understood fear. And in the process of understanding fear and trying to save myself, I chucked what I should've done i.e., sit quietly and keep an eye on that snake. It was huge. It extended from the top corner of the window down to the tap where it had managed to twirl around a few times. That and the fact that I couldn't see properly (add on, being alone in the house) pushed me out of the house without any further thoughts. It was an hour before those people came and they searched the entire area, but couldn't find it. I slept in fear for the next couple of nights. And I can never look at that sink in the same way again.
The third time was less scary, because this time, the snake was hanging down from our backyard roof and I was sitting safely in my room that looks into the backyard. There was a screen, broad daylight and a confused snake still deciding whether to enter our backyard or move into our neighbour's. Previous experience told me to keep a watch on the snake and I made sure I saw it go. This time, I was alone but, braver. When it isn't inside your house, my nerves don't crash down.
Today was sighting number 4. Again, I was alone, in my room, not thinking about a snake at all. Heard the movement of a mug and buckets. Told myself, it is that cat. Obviously, can't be a snake. Look down form my window and bingo! SNAKE. Long long long...could only see the body and tail, no head. Yes, I was freaked out. My mom says she thought so too when she talked to me. Couldn't get through to the usual guy, he gave me another guy's number. While doing all this calling, that stupid snake, after having searched the whole area around our wash place, decided to go down the drain. When I told this to the snake guy, he told me to throw some water with phenol down the drain. I told him I wasn't going to do it. Keeping an eye on the snake is fine. Going right to where it is and trying to irritate it, is NOT. He came and did that. He said that since these snakes can't stand the smell of phenol, it would come out in an hour or so, if it were still in the drain. It did. And he caught it. I'm putting up the videos here. It was huge. Like 6 feet long. It was the same one I saw last time. Mom thinks it is also the one I saw that dreaded second time. Maybe. Because that snake was definitely long. Thank God, this snake was caught. My home was slowly turning into this cluster out-of-bounds areas. I'd have probably just been left with my bed as my safe place. And now Dad has to believe me. He thought I'd mistaken ropes or other things for snakes last two times. Mom was totally freaked out too. I was at least quiet with my emotions. She was literally dancing in her place.
Please dear slithering reptiles. I admit it. I'm shit scared of you guys. I do not like to even see you guys. Please spare my life and stop coming into my field of vision. 4 times. 4 times we've had snakes in our house. All 4 times, I've spotted them. Please no more. Please.
Ever since we moved into our new house (not so new now) 3 years back, we'd heard stories about how people here found snakes in their homes...some found them in their bathrooms, others in their gardens, some 'lucky' ones found them on their beds, occupying it as if the bed were the snake's rightful place, not that poor human being's. There was this one day, when we were still in the process of doing the interior, that mom came home with photos of a snake caught at the home of our to-be neighbours. We were excited. Previously, my only tryst with a snake had been watching one cross the road as I cycled...that too from a distance. When we moved into this current home, we were told it was only a matter of time before we became members of the sacred group "Snakes In Our Home". It took a year, but we did get there.
I don't remember if I'd written about the snake visit last year. It was a day before Diwali. I opened my bathroom door to find something on the wash basin. Something that did not look like an earthworm. Something that was definitely a snake. We called the concerned people and after an hour of intense searching, they found it hidden under the lining of the wash basin. That was tiny. Although initially scared, I managed to gather my wits together in time, and enjoyed watching the whole process.
My second time was the scary one. If I die at 65 years of age, I shall always say in Heaven that I was supposed to die at 70 years, but that fateful day changed that equation forever. It was evening. I was watching TV. For some unknown reason, I decided to watch till 6:30 pm instead of 6:00 pm. I heard some bottles fall. Since they are kept near the window, it's usually due to the wind. So, I looked up expecting to see an empty window. Instead, I saw a thick black rope hung in a U-shape around it. It was moving. Told myself I was imagining things. How could a rope move?? And even if it was, it would be outside the window. Because, all the doors were closed and all our windows have the mosquito screens placed. I couldn't see properly because the kitchen lights were switched off. That sort of made it worse.
Then, without any warning, that rope moved faster and twirled around the sink taps!! Crap. It was a snake. INSIDE MY HOUSE. AND THERE WAS NOTHING BUT EMPTY FLOOR BETWEEN IT AND ME. That was the moment I realised what petrified with fear is like. I couldn't move. I couldn't remember where I'd kept my cell phone. When I tried the landline, I couldn't remember my parents' cell phone numbers. When I got my phone out of my room, I couldn't operate it properly. When I finally got through to my mom, even her assistant realised there was something majorly wrong, my voice was so shaky. Yes, that day, I understood fear. And in the process of understanding fear and trying to save myself, I chucked what I should've done i.e., sit quietly and keep an eye on that snake. It was huge. It extended from the top corner of the window down to the tap where it had managed to twirl around a few times. That and the fact that I couldn't see properly (add on, being alone in the house) pushed me out of the house without any further thoughts. It was an hour before those people came and they searched the entire area, but couldn't find it. I slept in fear for the next couple of nights. And I can never look at that sink in the same way again.
The third time was less scary, because this time, the snake was hanging down from our backyard roof and I was sitting safely in my room that looks into the backyard. There was a screen, broad daylight and a confused snake still deciding whether to enter our backyard or move into our neighbour's. Previous experience told me to keep a watch on the snake and I made sure I saw it go. This time, I was alone but, braver. When it isn't inside your house, my nerves don't crash down.
Today was sighting number 4. Again, I was alone, in my room, not thinking about a snake at all. Heard the movement of a mug and buckets. Told myself, it is that cat. Obviously, can't be a snake. Look down form my window and bingo! SNAKE. Long long long...could only see the body and tail, no head. Yes, I was freaked out. My mom says she thought so too when she talked to me. Couldn't get through to the usual guy, he gave me another guy's number. While doing all this calling, that stupid snake, after having searched the whole area around our wash place, decided to go down the drain. When I told this to the snake guy, he told me to throw some water with phenol down the drain. I told him I wasn't going to do it. Keeping an eye on the snake is fine. Going right to where it is and trying to irritate it, is NOT. He came and did that. He said that since these snakes can't stand the smell of phenol, it would come out in an hour or so, if it were still in the drain. It did. And he caught it. I'm putting up the videos here. It was huge. Like 6 feet long. It was the same one I saw last time. Mom thinks it is also the one I saw that dreaded second time. Maybe. Because that snake was definitely long. Thank God, this snake was caught. My home was slowly turning into this cluster out-of-bounds areas. I'd have probably just been left with my bed as my safe place. And now Dad has to believe me. He thought I'd mistaken ropes or other things for snakes last two times. Mom was totally freaked out too. I was at least quiet with my emotions. She was literally dancing in her place.
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