**The Missing Snake** *It's yet another privilege to crack nuts together, **merry Xmas** to you and have fun, if it's truly funny.* Kudos to @sahar78 for putting together this contest. ![snake-501986_1280.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUfYec7WMCTCtYwQ7TD8cqArtwVhJWYeEeLjZVQb3EhtB/snake-501986_1280.jpg) _{[sourced from pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/snake-reptile-scales-animal-501986/)} While some persons hunt snakes for meat, many others **especially the female folks** run away from them; doesn't this gives beauty to live relating it with the adage that... >**one man's meat is another man's poison.** At the **virgin state of my tertiary education**, my country made history for herself in the educational sector that surprised everyone. All federal universities were not in session for more than **8months** due to an unresolved **indefinite strike action** by the **A**cademic **S**taff **U**nion of **U**niversities (**ASUU**). This strike commenced when many nations were on lockdown as a result of the **corona virus**(**COVID 19**) outbreak. After waiting for a month or two to see if the strike would be called-off; I decided to learn how to run electrical connections in buildings; both full and half conduits wirings and installations as the duration of the strike could not be ascertained. Many unexpected things had been happening but this one was the most dreary so far. ![electrician-1696757_1280.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTqWNFb3pHikZy5QRFCh9WRxuoiTmPMSNK9aNvShakD8X/electrician-1696757_1280.jpg) _{[sourced from pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/electrician-electric-wires-cables-1696757/)} One day, I went to **a new site** we were to work on. This site was located in my community so I had to walk down as it was just some stones throw. My boss and one of our teammates arrived before me. When I got there, my boss had left the site to get some materials that we would be using for the job. I immediately put on my working wears and enquired from the guy what the boss directives is/are before swinging into actions. He and my boss had already marked out those areas that needed to be cracked for sockets, switches, security lights, etc, for the whole building. The block work for this building had been completed more than **30years ago** without it been roofed. The building had two bedrooms and a large sitting room. From my findings, **I discovered that the owner of the building has another bungalow where he lives with his family**, maybe that was why he prolonged the completion of the building; he only built this one we were working on in honour of his late parents (which I assumed were buried there) and other late family members; so, I could nicked-name the building; **the ancestors' building !** ![IMG-20241213-WA0021.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbmseUWUo4CFfA5ZXtozxJJQQFNoyo98AMJa5isWhQkTp/IMG-20241213-WA0021.jpg) The guy told me to be very careful after narrating what they experienced during the marking of the building; he said that **when they arrived the place**; during the marking of the building **they saw two unfriendly snakes** and on attack one of the snakes jumped out of the building into a nearby bush through a space between the wall and the newly constructed roof. So they couldn't tell were the other snake was. **I made a silent prayer** for God's protection at the site **before commencing work**. We were to crack the walls manually for the fixing of the **20mm** **polyvinyl chloride**(**PVC**) pipes since it was a **conduit wiring** (where cables will be made to pass through pipes buried inside the walls of the building). I was **extremely careful** and **observant** having gotten that **news of the missing snake**. There were some heaps of designed blocks at a particular place in the building and I felt the snake could be there so I had to take every necessary**security measures** at that location as I needed to crack some socket points closed by. We kept on with the cracking even after the arrival of our boss. ![man-on-ladder-676011_1280.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXkJFjcZpu7LdKgffu7qWiFuZsuywNScuHtnGoKy6bFKP/man-on-ladder-676011_1280.jpg) _{[sourced from pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/man-on-ladder-jump-art-statue-676011/)} At some point I needed **a ladder** to to help increase my height in order to crack up a socket point beyond the rafter level where the ceiling would be attached. **I haven't been on the ladder for up to 10minutes when I saw myself on the ground within few seconds**. *I suppose you can relate what really happened.* >Hmm...I came **face to face** with the **missing snake** while at the top of the ladder not up to **50cm** horizontal distance from my chest position lying quietly on the wall on which the sloping end of the roof lies and **I did what I had never attempted before and will never attempt on an ideal situation** but funny enough **the snake was also scared** so it changed it location immediately but it was too late for it **as there was someone that had been expecting its return.** This person happened to be my boss. He swinged into action without delay like **a military personnel dishing-out directives** to us, changing the position of the ladder to have a proper view of the snake. **I saw the courage of samson in him that day.** Myself and the other guy were asked to stand outside the building should in case the snake jumps out from any identified space. The snake struggled for survival but it was too late. >**The missing snake hideout**; **my downward flight** from the top of the ladder to the button **without a second thought** and **the death of the snake** were all **unexpected events.** And I would sincerely like to **appreciate God** once again for **sparing my life** from snake bites and not landing on injurious materials. *How would you have handled this situation if you were in my shoes when you've received the news of a missing snake?* I would like @bossj23 @nsijoro @basil20 @emmaboy23 and @ahmadot to take part in this contest.