It was a beautiful day to go fishing on the sixty square miles of water that was near to home. This lake is called "Arenal" and was also known for big large mouth bass. Also known as one of the world's best wind surfing lakes. There are a large number of snakes found near its edge. Being a hydro-electric project, the land that was filled in by the rising water levels ran the snakes out of their dens, and they had to relocate to higher ground.
He was arriving around 7 a.m., and Fr. Blanco had already seen a rather large snake swimming around fishing perhaps. He located at what he thought was a safe distance from the spot where it had been. Walking to the water's edge, he had to kill two smaller 6 foot vine snakes, which are skinny, but long. Setting up his temporary camp and getting all the gear out to begin casting took another 15 minutes. Finally, he was content to be throwing out his lures, waiting to catch a 5 lb. Bass or better, it, of course,
depended on how big the Lord was going to let him have.
It wasn't fifteen minutes until he noticed from his peripheral vision off to his right a movement out in the lake not 30 yards away. Looking in that direction, he spotted the big snake he had seen while getting down to the shore.
It kept coming his way, not veering in any direction but his! This was unexpected, and he asked the Lord what was going on, but no answer was forth coming. Finally, out of not knowing what the snake had in mind, he packed his gear and moved down about another 100 yards out of sight so as not to intimidate the intruder.
Taking out fishing pole and lures, he again began to cast out as far as he could into the lake, awaiting a big strike from a large mouth Bass. Instead of the anticipated jerk on his line, he again saw movement like the one before, and sure enough, the snake had followed him around the bend and was coming toward him without changing direction. Coming with in 20 yards, Dr. Blanco decided to move again and went even farther around several curves in lake shore to be far away from this reptile, that either had taken a liking to him or didn't want him around. So, off he went aggravated and mad at this intrusion on his day off,
causing him to lose the best morning hours for fishing.
Settling on a perfect spot, and thinking now I can fish peacefully without worrying about being bitten or swallowed by a boa-constrictor that's twice as long as I am tall, and weighing about half of my 220 lbs. It wasn't twenty minutes until
you know who showed up again! Well, this time I'm not moving! I said to myself, self, you came to fish, and this big snake is not going to ruin your whole day so go ahead and fish and let him do whatever it is that he wants to do, I'll not bother him, and he won't bother me. That didn't turn out too well as the snake thought differently and swam closer and closer, finally coming ashore right at me. All I could think of at the moment, was, Lord, why me again? All I had was a skinny fishing pole to defend myself, and I knew if I hit him with that thin pole, it would just make it madder than it already was. I said Lord help me out.
I thought I heard a whisper from on high that said, you big dummy. I tried three times to get you out of there, and you wouldn't go. Just look behind you and pick up the stick shaped like a baseball bat. I bent over as the boa-constrictor began to stand up like a cobra getting ready to strike. I turned just in time to swing my bat and caught him right on the top of his head as he sprung forward with his
double row of razor sharp teeth gleaming in the sunlight. Whack, whack, whack whack I hit him till I was sure he was dead. When his body writhed again, I hit him harder; I was taking no chances as he was the biggest snake I had ever seen and especially encountered up close.
I was now safe and could fish all I wanted until out of nowhere, would you believe its mate, the same size and just as ugly, came out of its den looking for its mate? I didn't want to be around when she saw him wrapped around my scooter, ready to be taken home and skinned. I packed up quicker that you can say, Lordy, Lordy, I'm outta here.
Some trials and tribulations can be self made stemming from our pride or lack of paying attention to the Lord when he tries to warn us of danger lurking about our surroundings. I was so excited about catching another big fish like I had months before that I wasn't in the mood to listen, just fish. I'm so glad the Lord was vigilante that day as I was not. Why me again, Lord? Well, this time, I knew why.