On Being Kind to Our Slithery Friends

Today Henry and I went to visit Mee-maw and Pee-paw and Nee-Nee. While we were there I decided to get started on opening the pool, mostly because for once there wasn't a layer of water and rotten leaves on top of the tarp. Every year it's the same, pull the tarp off and find a plethora of disgusting things on the sidewalk or floating in the pool. This year was easier, even though Ben wasn't there, mostly because the top of the tarp was dry, and my mother-in-law and I got it off and with the help and direction of Pee-paw we drug it into the driveway so we could hose it off. Halfway through sweeping leaves and pollen, slugs and earthworms off, Jeanne found a baby snake. She wouldn't go near it, so I went to investigate. It was a little brown snake, not a copperhead, and for once I didn't go into instant kill mode. Amazing, I know. I tried shooing it off the tarp with the hose, but it didn't take the hint, so I got a shovel and carefully scooped it up and deposited in the yard where all the weeds are. I have to say I'm proud of myself for being charitable towards the snake. I guess that means I'm one step towards being a better person or something.