Guess Who Came To Dinner

As a newlywed I was very excited about hosting our first barbeque.  Our property at the base of the foothills had just as much cactus as it did grass so we set up on the cement patio between the house and the garage.  We had just framed out an addition to the garage so I tried to disguise the stacked lumber with flower pots.

 Everything was going great until I happened to glance up.  The largest snake I had ever seen in my life was stretched out across a large beam about eight feet high and practically above the heads of the guests.  Within seconds many things raced through my mind, not the least of which was how it got up there and would it come down to join the party.  Although the markings were similar I was pretty sure that it wasn’t a rattlesnake because of its size.  It was as large as some boa constrictors I had seen so I didn’t even know if it was native or an escaped pet. 

The only word that I managed to speak, or rather squeak, was snake!  Within seconds everyone had scanned the ground around their feet and stood to prepare for a quick exit since rattlesnakes were not rare in that area.  I pointed, still lacking the appropriate words to tactfully introduce the uninvited guest.  My husband immediately climbed up the stacked lumber, grabbed the snake and pulled it down right in front of everyone.  Apparently, I was the only one in a state of near panic because after a short discussion about what a big Bull snake it was my husband took it behind the house and the party continued.  Not wanting to appear cowardly I did my best to remain composed.

 Later I asked what he had done with the body, assuming that he had killed it as he would a rattlesnake on the property.  He explained that Bull snakes were beneficial and kept the rodent population down so he let it go out back.  Somehow, for me anyway, that did not make up for the fact that it was 6 feet long and could climb up the side of a building.  I was grateful that our guests were locals because I couldn’t even imagine the panic that would have ensued if the folks from back home would have been there.  Sensing my uneasiness he suggested I give it a name and treat it like a pet.  I secretly named it after him because I wasn’t sure at that moment which one was going to be sent to live in the backyard if it showed up at one of our barbeques again.on