The King (Snake) and I

At the edge of the souk was a snake charmer, playing his flute (aka pungi) while a cobra swayed to the refrain. I wanted to see it. I'd never before seen a snake charmer. Felipe warned me, "They'll want money." I was good with that.

As I headed in that direction, a guy came out of nowhere and looped a 3-foot snake around my neck. YIKES! I was shocked out of one paradigm (curious about snake charming) and into another (snake around my neck) with no transition stage. (Reviewing my life, that seems to happen a lot! One second it's one way; the next second, it's a different/unplanned/unasked-for way. Life As It Is!)

It was a fairly quick adjustment to my new paradigm, as I got no danger vibes from the snake. In fact, it was sluggishly unperturbed about where it was hanging; it might even have been drugged, or blissed out on the sun. 

So with my new compadre, I ventured closer to the cobra and the other little piles of snakes on the rug. This time I was keeping a very watchful eye on everyone, making sure no one hung a cobra (or any of those other snakes) around my neck. The cobra vibes were not friendly – definitely not friendly. So I kept as much distance from the cobra as I saw the others keep. After a few exhales, I settled down and my curiosity had me hanging out with snakes, enjoying this new phenomenon.

Truly fascinating. And I got to know for sure that I am not ophidiophobic (afraid of snakes – and yes, I had to look it up too, but I like the way that word rolls off my tongue!).