Like Bruce Lee up there says, most people hate snakes because they fear them. It is natural to hate things that you don't understand. I was one of the masses that hated snakes when I was younger. I just always saw them depicted as representing Satan & evil or as being dangerous. But, when I was 15 or so, a friend of mine had a Boa. I am not sure what kind it was cuz this is goin back 10 years now. But, He brought the boa out & I was freakin. I told him to get the damn thing away from me or i would kill it. I was just scared, that was all. My friend asked me to just trust him. He said "Just put your hand out & TRUST me."

I did as he said & the boa nestled his head into my palm as he wrapped his body around my forearm. I was ok with that. Then, the boa started to work his way up my arm & I started to freak. Keith just told me to relax & continue to trust him. Wouldn't ya know the boa just crawled up my arm & coiled up on my head & sat there. He was just lookin for the heat. He musta sat there for half an hour. Every now & then he would peek his head out & take a look around. After that, i realized that snakes are not nasty or evil. Then of course my suitemate brought his Ball Python up to school & I fell in love with him. I wanted my own after that.

My girlfriend was one of those snake haters too. But, she is already falling in love with Jack because she is starting to see that the only reason snakes strike or hiss is because they are scared. I love my Mr. Man! Now she does too. It is all about trying to educate people. The problem is, people who have lived with the mis-conceptions for some 30 years are not too likely to change their minds.