As a very small child snakes were something to be afraid of since they were often the 'bad guy' in stories told. My mother had a dear friend just two blocks west on Forth Street who was also in a wheelchair. She was a young lady, long blond hair, ocean-blue eyes and known to love all creatures great and small. Father took me to meet Jessica for an afternoon stay and an introduction to her snake friends.
At first I was reluctant to even touch the snake she held thinking it would be slimy. To my surprise it's beautiful pattern skin was quite pleasant to the touch and soon I was holding the snake and finding it to be very friendly. When father picked me up in time for dinner I had become a true friend of Ralph the Snake.
Over the years I have learned how to identify the snakes that I shouldn't touch, the ones I could admire from a safe distance such as the Rattlesnake. I learned that Jessica had become paralyzed when turning the crank to start the engine of her Ford V-8 one morning. She had forgotten to put the gear-shift in nutral and the vehicle ran over her legs. She never talked about the accident and seemed very happy to be cared for by her parents and be surrounded with the creatures she loved, great and small.
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