The Snake

Returning to Khao Phanom from taking 2 of our summer volunteers back to their school, Linda saw something brown moving in the the tray with the windshield wipers. Pretty soon a divided tongue appeared and then a head and part of the body. The snake had a brown diamond pattern with yellow separating the diamonds. It was swaying in the breeze looking at Linda, just in front of Linda’s side of the windshield. Linda pointed in front of her and whispered snake. She continued pointing and saying “snake” louder and louder. Richard thought that she was talking about a snake on the road up ahead. Then the Thais in the back seat saw the snake beyond the windshield on the hood of the truck and began telling Richard to stop the truck. Finally Richard saw the snake and pulled over to the side of the road just before entering Khao Phanom town.

Rawi, a friend from India, found a stick and tried to pin the snake down in the windshield wiper well. Richard picked up a stick too, but the snake got between the plastic and the front left side engine metal panel. Richard thinking to get a flashlight, opened the front passenger door with Linda sitting there. One of the girls in the back seat yelled close the door. The snake had gotten in between the door and the front metal panel about 6 inches from Linda’s leg. Richard shut the door and those left in the truck cab darted out the back right door onto the street. They rushed back about 30 feet behind the truck leaving Richard & Rawi fighting the snake. Richard opened the door and the snake tried to enter the truck cab. Richard slammed the door shut and got the snake caught partly in the truck cab door with the other part swingly wildly between the truck bottom and the street curb. Rawi finally was able to pin the snake head to the pavement. Richard realized he need something more than the stick for smashing the snake with. He looked around and saw part of a cinderblock. By that time the others of us had released the guys in the back of the truck bed, so they could help. Rat (a Burmese) picked up the cinderblock and alternated with Richard pounding the snake’s head. After the snake stopped moving, they opened the front door again to release his trapped body. Rawi picked up the snake with a stick and threw it into the bushes.

Our hearts were still pounding, but we were grateful that God protected us from being bitten by the poisonous rattlesnake. We were also grateful that we had parked by some sticks and broken cinderblocks and the patient wisdom of Richard & Rawi in killing the snake.