A Funny Story

Several years ago, when we lived in a small house with a huge yard that contained a few large trees, it was around this time of year that we set out to rake up all the leaves. Of course we would pile them up for Mikaela to jump in, and sometimes jump in them ourselves. What can I say? We were fun (translation: YOUNG) parents. 

One year Alex and Mikaela were working diligently, and I called over, “Hey, if you get me a rake I’ll help.” 

Alex nodded towards the shed not 20 feet from where I was standing. “Rakes are in the shed.”

“I know where they are. But I want you to get it.”

“You can get it.”

“No, I can’t. There are spiders and snakes in there.”

(Rolling his eyes.) “There are NOT snakes in the shed.”

“Mm-hmm. There are.”

“Have you ever seen one in there?”

“No. But I know they’re in there.”

“Oh brother.” 

He absolutely refused to go get me a rake, so I cautiously crept up to the shed and tentatively opened the door. 

There, propped up against the back wall of the shed was a rake, with a brightly colored garter snake coiled in and out of its tines. 

It wasn’t a large snake, maybe 20” long and quite thin. But it was a SNAKE. On the RAKE. In the SHED. 

I calmly called Alex over so as not to scare the snake away and instead of bowing to my superiority he simply laughed and laughed and laughed. I did too. It was quite funny.

And it was one of the best times ever that I've been able to say, "I told ya so." 

Yay for fall! And snakes on rakes.