Rubber Snakes May Be Perishable

As parents (and grandparents) we learn something new every day.  The children in our lives provide a never-ending well of new experiences and concepts.  Some of what we learn is life changing and sobering.  Other times, the results are heart warming and make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  However, there are some lessons that are shocking and keep us on our toes!

Having a younger brother who is a perpetual prankster, I don’t startle easily.  I’ve had all sorts of ‘creatures’ jump out of closets, lie waiting for me in my bed, and find their way into my food.  Over the years, I have developed nerves of steel and learned to expect the unexpected.

Still, my children have managed to scare my socks off on a handful of occasions.  Perhaps the most memorable of these instances happened about 2 years ago.  A single mother at the time, I was constantly busy late into the night.  One night, as I was working on a writing assignment for a client, I remembered I had forgotten to take chicken out for dinner the next day.

Not wanting to disturb my sleeping children, I crept downstairs in the dark with only night lights as my guide.  I quickly grabbed a package of chicken legs from the freezer, eager to get back to my writing before my train of thought derailed.  I hurriedly popped the refrigerator door open to place the chicken inside to thaw when suddenly, something long, dark, and wiggly flew out and landed on my feet!

I was so startled that I jump instinctively backwards and inadvertently, flung the wriggling object back up in the air.  In horror and shock, I shrieked!  It was a snake!  I dropped the chicken as I ran to turn on the light.  My mind was racing with a million questions.  How on earth did a snake get in the fridge?  Was it poisonous?  And how was I going to get it out of the house?

I flicked the light switch and did a 360 in less than a second, searching wildly for the disgusting creature.  All I saw, however, was the large rubber snake that I had given to my kids from my box of childhood toys . . . the same snake I used to torment my own mother with years ago.  I felt like a total moron!

The next morning as we ate breakfast, I asked my kids how the rubber snake had gotten in the fridge.  My son (4 at time) looked at me and answered like it was obvious, “Because it needs to stay cold, kinda like milk!”  Who knew rubber snakes were perishable?  I know it had never crossed my mind.