A Gift from My Canine Friend- A true Story

One day I am busy doing household chores and our little dog, Whimpy constantly is wanting in and out. So finally I just leave the back door open to the dog park so he can go in and out as he pleases. This dog, our spoiled little bundle of fur has always been unpredictable as to the things he might do. I never expected what he was going to do on this day.

I’m doing laundry, taking care of clothes and not paying my canine friend much attention. I take the clothes to the closet, put some away in drawers and deliver the clean towels to the bathrooms. Whimpy doesn’t bark and seems content with the arrangement until I grab a broom to sweep the floor. He is not into better homes and gardens. Anything having to do with cleaning he hates. Brooms, mops and buckets will take a beating around Whimpy. I try anyways, but I finally have to put him on the other side of the back door to finish my task. Imagine sweeping with a Chihuahua attached to your broom. He may be light weight, but is still impossible to work with. It sure makes for a good excuse for neglecting chores, I know.

After some time has gone by and I have swept the living room and the kitchen, I go into my bedroom to sweep. It is somewhat dark in there as the blinds are drawn down. I turn on the over head light and begin to sweep. I glance at my bed. I see something unfamiliar lying in the middle of the queen size bed and at first I think it is probably a dirty sock the dog put there, because he’s done it before. Whimpy loves dirty socks. I’ve convinced myself that it’s a dirty sock as I go about my business. I walk closer to get it off the bed. Just then I notice it is not a sock I see, my heart skips a beat. I am horrified and I panic. I can hardly believe what I am seeing right there in the middle of my bed. What am I going to do? I scream that’s what I do even though I am home alone. “Whimpy! I can’t believe you got by me with a snake of all things.”

I’m scared to death of snakes. It makes my skin crawl and no way will I touch one. I don’t care what kind of snake it is I don’t like them poisonous or otherwise. I’m there alone, so I have to get rid of it myself. Thank God the thing is dead. I take my broom and manage to get the thing onto my dust pan. The snake is only about two foot long, but at that moment it seems much bigger. I go out the back door into the dog park and throw it over the fence with Whimpy barking and jumping and quite upset I am discarding the gift he gave me. He wants it back. I scold him, “You brat, don’t be bringing me any more of your critters.”

Whimpy is still barking as I go back into the bedroom to strip my bed. No way will I take a chance of there being any snake slime on it. With gloves on I put the bedding in the washer and set it to an extra soiled load with hot water. One can never be too careful.

This time it is only a garter snake. I guess, it could have been worse and I’m glad it is dead. I squirm to think he could have let a live snake loose in my house. He is also a mouser and has been known to catch mice in the woodshed. He once killed a possum that climbed over the fence into the dog park. I live on a country hillside where wildlife is plentiful. I will feel better knowing that Whimpy doesn’t invite them into the house or bring me his kill from a hunting expedition.