I've been told it's physically impossible....

Every summer there are places around the country that have what they call "rattlesnake round-ups".  Why in the world anyone would want to go out and round the darn things up is beyond me....I try to stay as far away from those critters as possible.

Some of you may remember the infamous encounter I had last year with a rattlesnake I found a little too close to where we live. You know, with grand kids running around a guy can't be too careful. That particular encounter didn't turn out as expected, for me nor Mr. Rattler.  After trying to run over him a couple of times with the FJ without success, I resorted to my trusty .357 revolver.....snub nosed.....police special.....five shots....needed six!  After the fifth shot, I had accomplished nothing more than making him very mad, and I was suddenly unarmed.  Could've thrown the gun at 'em like they do in all of the old gunfights on TV, but I had already proven my lack of accuracy.  Time to move on.

Aah, but that wasn't my first encounter with one of those slithery, venomous, creatures.  Shortly after I moved to this part of the country I was meeting with a female client who had plans to renovate a beautiful old barn into a business venue. It was a great place, but as we were walking the perimeter something grabbed my arm with the grip of a lumberjack.....man she was strong.....and could she scream....and did!  There, lying on a rock ledge was another one of those gosh darn snakes.  What to do, what to do, especially since I was incapacitated by the lack of blood flow in my left arm.  Fortunately, I'm right handed and was able to smack it with a stick I found lying on the ground.....Sure wish I would have had a stick instead of that darn revolver...

With that little interruption taken care of, we were able to continue our tour, and a few months later our community was blessed with the opening of a great place for weddings, reunions, business meetings, etc. I guess rattlesnakes don't deter a determined business woman.  Well, this seems like a good place to end my story about rattlesnakes, but I would be remiss to leave out this one last episode....my first encounter.

Seventeen years old, working on a pipeline crew in Texas.....never before had I come in contact with a rattlesnake.  Here in Texas there were many, and they seemed to enjoy crawling into the joints of pipe at night so they could slither out and greet us in the morning light. "Better watch where you stick your hand, son".  All of us became quite "aware" of their presence.

One day, a couple of us were riding down the right-of-way on the back of a flat bed truck, jumping down every 50 yards or so to pick up skids, and throw them on the truck.  Typically, one would lay your hand on the bed of the truck and swing down to the ground......where this time was lying another of those #@&*# rattlesnakes.

I've been told that it's physically impossible to reverse one's direction once your feet have left the safety of the truck bed.....Not true.  I've got witnesses.  It can be done....feet never touched the ground.and I was sitting comfortably back on the truck.....I swear it's true, but yet again, what do I know.