Hoodooed in Oklahoma

I came home early this afternoon because Marilyn had left for Ardmore earlier today to pick up our daughter Kate. My new pup Princess had been alone inside the house for a while and I wanted to give her a potty break. When I opened the back door I got a big surprise. A large snake dropped down from somewhere above me and landed directly at my feet.

The snake was as startled as I was. It started into the house but turned away when I emitted a yelp. I know what you’re thinking but no, it wasn’t a scream, just a mild yelp. It was enough however to cause Mr. or Mrs. Snake, whichever the case might be, to think better of joining me inside.

The reptile was about three feet long and had a maximum diameter of about two inches. It had no rattler and looked to me like a garden variety snake, maybe a king snake. It was black and had several red stripes the length of its back and sides. Whatever kind of snake it was, I watched from a distance as it crawled away into the grass and disappeared.

I’ve been wondering ever since Mr. or Mrs. Reptile dropped by for a visit (yes, I know, bad pun) what it was doing above my door. I inspected the area carefully but found no evidence that someone had played a prank on me. It didn’t come from the roof because the patio on the back of our house is covered.

The snake and I both had quite a start and the incident made me think of voodoo priestess Mama Mulate from my French Quarter mystery Big Easy. Mama wouldn’t hoodoo me. I created her for heavens sake! Still, maybe I crossed somebody out there and they hired a local mambo or houngan to teach me a lesson.

Nah! No one practices voodoo in Edmond America. Or do they?

Fiction South