Yet another true story

Happened to come across  something I wrote way back in November 2001 or so!The writing is a decade old and hence has a funny teen outlook! :D But neverthe less this is something I always look back and feel happy about!

This is yet another story.A true story.It happened to me today...

Today,i woke up with little intention of going for golf.It was raining 'n' the very thought of getting my feet soaked in the dew 'n' rain water left on the ground made me a little more hesitant to go.I could spend that time to snuggle in my comfy bed,warm 'n' cozy...till afternoon?Afternoon!!Then, i changed my mind.I'd rather go for golf,get some exercise than to relish the morning sleep 'n' brood all day about starting out late!

So i got up 'n' went with my father...for another usual game of golf.Well..since i just started playing for a few months(6 to be precise),i practise with my instructor trying not to yell at me,'n' my caddy snickering behind!So today,he told me we would practise a little 'n' then go out on the course for a game.

The practise area is just behind the club house..to the side of the main course.We have got an 8 foot net to hit on.As i practised a few shots,my caddy noticed a "chera" (a rat snake) caught in between the net.The snake was the length of both my arms stretched horizontally,say 1 3/4 of a tee square(for all u engineering  friends of mine!)

It was beautiful.A glaze of dim yellow brown black dorsal view and a magnificent mixture of a bright-dull yellow for its ventral side.

The net was not a single one.It was folded thrice to hold the power of the golf ball hitting on it.As the snake tried to get out,it was only making it worse for itself.The more it struggled the more it got tangled.At first, i was in awe,looking at this beautiful reptile out so close.A second thought made me touch it.Man! It was just beautiful.A  little slithery ,a little cold but real smooth.

The next thought was to save the creature.But how? My instructor (i refer to him as uncle) broke a thin branch sharpened its end amd tried to get it out.But it was stuck.Then he tried to shake the net.The snake got panicky and struggled which worsened the situation.I asked my caddy whether there was a pair of scissors in the club house.So he ran and fetched it but when the scissors arrived,it was like,"poochakye aaru mani ketum?" (Who will bell the cat)

The caddy admitted he was dead scared of snakes while uncle would not give in to the admission.He stuck with the statement that he hated snakes.So ,with pleasure and a deep sense of doubt i agreed to do so.

It was caught at three places-head,neck 'n' lower body.(i know,a snake doesn't as such have a neck)! I took the scissors squatted down ready to jump up at any time.I could feel my hands shiver in cold 'n' in doubt.As i was cutting the lower part,uncle asked me to cut the head first.i didn't want to take the risk of cutting near the head,because if the snake was free to move its head ,it could attack anytime.But after a while, i had to cut the net near the head as the poor thing was choking to death.I was to be real gentle since , the net, made of synthetic wire, was deep inside the snake's skin and  to cut through it meant,getting to scissors in between the tight net 'n' body.If i made one wrong movement with no doubt it was dead.So with a praying mind 'n' a begging heart,i proceeded slowly and as gently as i could.I did it.The head was free with a good effort.Now,i was to be even more careful.With the head free,it was tougher.Uncle took a long pipe and held its head down.It was being choked again.Remembering the numerous episodes on snakes broadcasted on the national geographic and animal planet,i told him to hold the pipe near the snake's head.The snake would naturally opt putting its head into the dark pipe hole which would make it easy for me to cut more.But uncle was so jerky that the snake opted not.This species of snake isn't poisonous as such,but why take the chance of being bitten.A wild animal is a wild animal.It would attack to defend itself.

 

But by this time,there was a sense of understanding cropping up inside the snake.i don't know what?May be it was too tired to struggle or may be it realised we weren't harming it.It lay still as a rock,coiling the free end of its tail occasionally.Finally with the help of uncle 'n'the caddy who were holding the net up for me,i managed to cut it free from the net.

The snake was let loose.A few caddies from the course came running in, to see the commotion.I told my dad's caddy not to mention anything to him,or else he might scold me for being impulsive(not rashly,but lovingly...that would've  been even worse).

The snake free,coiled itself up ..lifted up its head and looked straight at me for a few minutes before it slittered back into the wilderness.I've never personally felt that feeling of total happiness and self satisfaction before.It was something real worth experiencing.I  don't really know whether the look was one filled with gratitude or not (for they say,cats 'n' snakes are the most ungrateful,next to man!)

As for uncle,he was having a time of his life teasing  the caddy for being such a scardy -cat and me for telling him that the snake would put its head in the pipe.Well,being a nature lover,a biology student(who had extra hours of tuition class where we had samples to identify different snakes by just observation,studying their modes of living, the anatomy,the external differences in scales 'n' shields,the different poison glands'n' the different antivenoms used) and  most of all a younger,I didn't want to spoil his moment when he laughed at me and asked,"Don't you know snakes cant see?They only hear  vibrations"

"Yes,uncle i know they feel the vibrations,but they do see.Its the hearing that they don't have", With a smile and each sentence softer than the former.

In the car,i give a detailed story with lots of expressions on my face to Achan (my dad),who smiled proudly at me and at home to my enthralled mother,who was absorbing each word of mine,with a broadening smile,looking at all my excitement.When i reached the last point,where the snake 'n' i had a minutes connection that was so deep that it could last a lifetime,my Amma smiled and said, "Now now! i do hope you wouldn't go marry that snake!"

There's one more victim-my sleeping sister whom i will haunt the rest of the day with. Till then i thought I'd get online and mail this to everyone i know.(even though i know some of you will curse me for making you read through all of this!)

But,all i have to say is,that if ever any one of you do get a chance to save another,please do! The pride,happiness and yet another emotion (i really cant  figure out what exactly,but trust me!its a great one.)  has layers to unfold out onto you.

All i 've to say,is that,this might be yet another story,yet another true story and it happened to me today.....

BUT ...

Its a story that will last with me for a  lifetime.