I recently posted that snakes are our friends and neighbours. Yes.
My love for organic food must have made some snakes envious.
The children plucked okra from our little garden and asked that I cut ugu for them because the ugu has climbed high above their reach.
They wanted to make soup for eba with all ingredients sourced from the Temple apart from salt; we do not maggi our meals...
I went to a section of the veggie garden to cut the ugu. Moments later, I intuitively looked above my head at a cluster of yam vines and ugu leaves.
There it was less than 12 inches away from my eyes: a long gliding grey rope flicking its venomous fangs in my direction.
I ducked and it withdrew its fangs, its tail region recoiling around a bamboo stake, its eyes on me.
I asked the apprehensive children to move far away; I wanted to pick my neighbour with my bare hands to show it love, but it proved stubborn.
Trust smart children; in seconds, they handed me weapons: clubs, cutlasses,...
As swift as a sparrow, our friend, a dangerous and lethal specie, flew down and life race began.
Its amazing length made me use a long 2x2; some 25 feet of a hot chase and its spine split and its jaws yelped.
Some rice husk and pms accompanied our friend to hell fire.
Snakes are our friends and neighbours; do not harm them, but guard your life against their venom.
*Non-fiction
©macpherson okpara
24/8/24
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