Today in Loki’s Animal Stories, author Toi Thomas recounts a true animal adventure as told from the perspective of Loki, A Small Gang of Authors mascot. So, it’s a fake true story. Enjoy!
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I think I’ve mentioned before how creepy I find reptiles to be, but now that I’ve met Betty, the turtle, I feel a bit more openminded. Still, snakes are an entirely different matter. Toi told me about a snake encounter she had when first moving into her townhouse. It was enough to give me chills.
Apparently, in the area where Toi lives, all the surrounding land used to be a swamp. In fact, just down the road a bit, there is a sign and entrance to a long trail taking you through The Great Dismal Swamp that remains. Finding wildlife and critters along the roads and roaming neighborhoods isn't a new concept for Toi, but when they end up inside your home, you can never quite prepare for that.
After her first night in her new townhouse, with her mattress still on the floor and boxes stacked all around, Toi woke to the sound of something slithering, slipping, and sliding along a wall somewhere… She couldn’t see it; only hear it. On full alert, yet still wearing her PJs, Toi began to crouch and crawl to the edge of the stairs leading down. That's where she saw the chain of black and white stripes slithering along the wall, next to the front door.
Toi crawled back to the bed and picked her cell phone off the stack of books serving as her nightstand. After calling all her family members and letting them know how much she loved them, Toi then had to decide whether pest control or animal control would best assist her at that time. Pest control charged a fee and animal control was free.
After waiting the longest 20 minutes of her life, Animal control arrived. The man dressed in kaki shorts and a safari hat picked up the snake like it was a dropped lolly-pop. Having a better look at it and clearly seeing that it was only about 12 inches long, Toi felt a little silly for overreacting but was still glad to be rid of the uninvited guest. Betty the turtle had watched the whole spectacle from her tank and looked at Toi suspiciously when the snake was carted off in a cardboard box, only to be released into the trees a few yards away. Toi tossed Betty a pellet and assured her, she was home to stay.
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Find out more about Toi Thomas, her work, and her inspiration at the following links:
#truestory, #funnyanimals, #ScarySnakes
COMMENTS
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Scary stuff, Toi. I actually really like snakes, but here in the UK they are not venomous or big enough to crush you to death, so I suppose that's why I don't fear them, I dare say I would if I had an encounter similar to yours.
There's a true story today on
#OurAuthorGang. Author Toinette Thomas and our mascot, Loki, tell us about a real-life encounter with a snake.
Good story, Toi. I don't care how big a snake is, I'm not fond of snakes. My friends live in the Arizona Desert and always have rattlesnakes roaming around the mule and horse stalls. But that's okay, they have king snakes that eat the rattlesnakes. I want no part of that!
Loki, the
#OurAuthorGang mascot, shares the tale of Toinette Thomas' first night in her new home and the snake that came to visit.
Oh LOL, that was wonderful. Toi, you had to call your family first and then wait 20 minutes for rescue, oh dang!! <3
I'm not afraid of reptiles, but if my daughter had seen it, much screaming would have ensued!!
I did call my family. My mom told me to run away, but I was in my pjs and I didn't want to leave my turtle behind.
lol, cute story. What a great name for the mascot. Loki has always been one of my mythology characters. Coyote too which is his counterpart (as in role plays in mythology-The Trickster.) in lots of way in Native American folklore.
That's cool. I'd heard that Coyotes were spirit animals, but I didn't know much about it. I didn't know about them being the counterpart to the Trickster. Thanks for sharing that.
Today, Loki and I share the true tale of a snake encounter.
#OurAuthorGang
Snake in the house, at night, what a scary experience!
What a scary event, you're not alone! I would have reacted the same way. Or knowing my great fear of snakes, I would have climbed out the window if I could before calling everyone I thought could help to get rid of God's slithering creature.
The only windows on the top floor are sky lights. I don't have the arm stength and body to pull that off. Had to say goodbye while I had the chance. ;)