The snake nestled itself around the neck of the fragile little child; a python that was at least a half a meter long and of good girth.
The little girl, quite unaware of any danger in this circumstance, remained completely still; almost unconcerned, when all of a sudden……
Neelie looked up from her work, to see what appeared to be a rather unusual movement outside of her shop window. There on the passage walkway was a middle aged woman experiencing some difficulty.
As Neelie began to focus on the scene before her eyes, she realized that the woman was in some kind of trouble, as she repeatedly walked in one direction and then hastened back the way she had just come, almost as if she was lost. All the while the woman seemed to be talking herself.
Neelie, who is a woman of compassion and concern for her fellow humans, realized that she needed to act.
Dropping her work, she rushed towards the woman, who, by this time, seemed totally traumatized. Placing her arm around the lady’s shoulders, she said, gently, “What has upset you”? The woman looked up at Neelie and replied, “I’m so scared”. Her face white and beads of sweat on her forehead.
“Come, let me help you”, said Neelie gently. “No”, the woman appealed. “I have friends that I am meeting at the restaurant and as I was walking along, this giant snake tried to bite me”. Neelie’s first reaction was, “What? a snake”!! But instead she whispered; “Show me where the snake is”. The
woman pointed ahead to a young girl, no more than nine years old, who was lovingly stroking the girth of a yellow python entwined around her frail neck. “Oh, I see it now” said Neelie quietly to the woman. Will you promise to stand very still, right here, don’t move” said Neelie, “Whilst I go and talk to the snake, OK”? Y..y..yes, I will”. The woman stammered.
Slowly edging her way from the woman, Neelie moved over to the child with the snake.
“Hello”, she greeted the child in her soft, deep and gentle way. “Is this your snake”? The child eagerly responded, grateful for the attention on her snake, “Her name is Shana and she is my friend”. “My, but Shana is so beautiful”, replied Neelie. “Have you been friends for long”? Neelie inquired. “Yes”, the girl replied, as she caressed the snake. “What’s your name”? Neelie asked. “Emma”. She said softly.
“Emma, I have a friend who would like to meet Shana, shall we go there”? “OK” Emma nodded, quite unsuspecting of the drama that had just unfolded with the older lady.
She led Emma with her free hand, as the other was still caressing Shana. “Marie,” Said Neelie, to a somewhat perplexed neighbour shop keeper. “Could Emma and Shana stand in your shop, for just a moment, whilst I help the lady outside, to meet her friends at the restaurant.”? “Oh, okay”, replied a surprised Marie, faltering in her speech.
With this Neelie moved briskly to the older woman and gently led her to the restaurant, where her friends were happy to see her.
Neelie, whispered to the friend about what had happened to the older lady and invited the couple to call in at her shop on the way home.
Returning to Marie, Neelie was surprised to see that Emma and Shana had left. Responding to Neelie’s questioning look, Marie said. “Emma’s parents were looking for her and whilst her father led her and Shana away, the mother told me Emma’s story. Emma was born with a rare condition and at the time when she should have been making attempts to talk, she didn’t”.
“The physician had explained to Emma’s parents that whilst Emma did not speak, they were to continue to speak and read stories to her, just as they would to any other child: and in her own time she would start to speak”.
Other than her not speaking, Emma was a wonderfully normal and well behaved child. At her fifth birthday party, one of the children attending 
brought along a tiny pygmy snake. Most of the children were afraid of the little creature, but one or two of them ventured to hold it. Emma was totally enthralled and not only held the little snake, but cuddled it.
That day Emma made it known to her parents, that she wanted a snake.
After much arguing between her mother and father, Emma got her way and received her little snake. Her Father felt that the snake was harmless and would be a good companion to an otherwise lonely (socially speaking) little girl.
Rules were set in place regarding the little snake and Emma was delighted when it finally arrived.
On Sunday morning a few weeks after the little snake had taken up residence in their home, Emma’s parents were in the kitchen, when, during a lapse in their conversation, they heard the faint, very sweet little voice of a child. Puzzled, they stared at each other.
Following the sound into the lounge, they saw and heard the most wonderful sight and a miraculous sound.
There, seated on a couch was Emma talking to her little snake using a 
mother’s words to her child. Emma was talking perfectly, for the very first time in her life!
From that day onward, Emma’s love of snakes grew and over progressive years she adopted Shana.
“You could have knocked me over with a feather”, exclaimed Neelie. “What a beautiful story”.
The older lady and her friends popped into Neelie’s shop to thank her for the assistance. The lady had clearly gone into a state of shock and panic and an hour or so after the incident was still pale under the gill. One of her friend’s remarked, “It should not be allowed; children walking around with dangerous snakes hanging like necklaces around their necks for all to see”.
Neelie, after bidding the old lady and her friends’ goodbye, remembered an incident some months back; where a person asked the question; “Is it normal for people to have snakes as pets?” This question was asked on a social media site. The response went viral and ended up in somewhat of a media bun fight.
How would you answer this question; “Should people be allowed to have snakes as pets”?
Please let us have your comments….
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