Just Another Day At The Office

It's Memorial Day weekend.  At least half the employees in the office were gone but those of us who were there were working our little hearts out.  In the midst of this frenzy of work, I needed a notepad so I headed down the hall toward the warehouse where all the office supplies are stored.  I reached the end of the hall, opened the door, innocently stepped inside ...  and nearly stepped on a big, ugly, big, slithery, gross, big, scary, big, long, big snake.  He was coiled up very nicely except for his head, which was stretching up in a very cobra-like pose.

 
I admit, I am not known for my dancing skills , but if there was a category for Original Snake Dance on "Dancing With The Stars" I would have been the hands-down winner.  I jumped up.  I jumped left.  I jumped right.  I jumped up on my toes and I think there may have even been a twirl somewhere in there.

I pushed myself up against that wire fencing so tight I probably have fence dents on my back and went for help.  Our resident biologist retrieved the reptile and escorted it out of the building.  It was a long time before my heartrate decreased from a sprint to a jog but eventually my hands stopped shaking and I got back to work.  And let me tell you, it's hard to work and hold your feet up off the floor at the same time because your cubie wall-mate told you "where there's one, there's more, and toes sticking out of sandals can look alot like little mice to a snake." 

Of course, seeing a reptile up close and personal, led to a bit of mind wandering about our upcoming trip to Ecuador for Abby's wedding.  One thing led to another and I started thinking about the dozens of lodges and tours that are available in the Amazon and then I started thinking about the Lodge I think I'd like to stay at for our post-wedding vacation.  I've been getting more and more excited about the insects, and the birds, and the fish and all the tropical species I am going to see.  I've looked at lots of websites of lots of lodges and tours in the Amazon/rainforest in Ecuador and as I read the information at each site I had noticed they all mentioned that they provide rubber boots for the guests--unless your feet are larger than size 11 1/2.  Then you are required to provide your own.   How nice, I thought.  I won't have muddy shoes.  All at once I had an epiphany.  S_ _ t!  What if those boots aren't to keep the mud off your shoes!  What if they're to keep snakes from biting you!  I wonder if I can get some of those boots for the office.

Poor Ruth.  I hope I didn't leave bruises on her arms. 

 I used her as a shield when Jim walked by with Mr. Bullsnake in his hand.

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Just Another Day At The Office