The Epic Battle

**Ryan's First Post**

So I have been very impressed with Sarah's posts and I knew that if I were ever going to take a moment to post about something from my perceptive it would have to be something really good.

Well this is it.

So there is a running joke between Sarah and I about centipede killing.  I think it would be perfectly fine to have a machete of my own for centipede killing, but Sarah rightfully points out that it is a far too dangerous of a tool for a guy with boyish tendencies to have.  Especially if I ever want to be a surgeon, I will need all the fingers I can get. 

I actually like the idea since I am now challenged to use more "creative" means of killing my prey (the centipede).  So far I have killed two on the sidewalks to campus.  Both were about 6-8 inches long and I have used my anatomy textbook's spine once (which was very effective) and my foot the other time.  Centipedes the size of the ones I have killed are what I feel comfortable with, I am not ready for the foot long beast that I encountered one night.  If fact I will admit that he won.  Not only did he keep his life, but he convinced me to walk on the other side of the road as far from him as I could be. 

Well tonight I met my largest challenge yet and I will preface the story with the outcome.  My foe and I agreed to a draw.  I spared his life and he spared mine.  He let me go home and I let him do whatever he wanted to do.  It was a draw, but only after an epic battle.  Here is the story.

I have gotten very comfortable walking without a flashlight at night since there are only a few spots that the street lights do not illuminate and I find that it ruins my night vision which I need for centipede to hunting.  On this night I was almost home, just making the last turn down the steep hill to our place, which of course is one of the only dark areas on the walk home.  Now keep in mind that I will often run down the hill because it is easier than walking.  I am glad I did not do that this evening. 

At the bottom of the hill was my neighbor who was staring at something in the path.  I immediately thought it was a centipede and got exited, but it was a more worthy foe.  A snake, a boa of some sort we are guessing, who apparently felt that it was his duty to guard the path and not let anyone pass.  We were stuck.  Kept from our warm beds and beautiful wives by a mortal enemy.

I have been around snakes before, including some very dangerous ones in Costa Rica, but I have never been so close to one that was so mad.   He was lunging and biting at anything that got close.  He was not afraid of rocks, water, sticks or anything else we tried to use to scare him into the bushes.  No matter what we did he was determined to make sure that no one made it down the path.

Multiple attempts were made by my neighbor and I to outwit, scare, distract and overpower our foe while one of us tried to pass, but every close call with a bite widdled our courage down.  

This called for backup.  My trusty wife, asleep in bed, came to our rescue with flashlights, a broom and of course the camera.  

Multiple uses of the broom were considered including flinging the snake into the ditch and pinning it down, but non seemed as logical or safe as using it as a barrier to bites. 

The broom was bit a total of three times before we both got past! 

As I said before I truly believe that this encounter was a draw.  Snake and man have both walked and slithered home to lick their wounds and further prepare themselves for the next encounter.

I believe that after tonight I will be a better centipede killer.  My encounter with the snake has made me stronger, quicker and more aware of what a truly worthy opponent is.  Foot long centipedes will not scare me to the other side of the road anymore. I will ask Sarah to make sure to post more of my centipede killing and snake charming escapades in the future so that all of you are aware of what I am really learning down here.

And now, so you all don't think that was just a clever story are some pictures:

 

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