1955 - Snake on the wall
I was just nine years old. We were living at Karaneswarar Koil street, Mylapore, Madras. There was this one big hall where we all slept side by side dad, mum and me and my sisters. Though we had electricity at night we lit a small kerosene oil lamp or lantern which gave a dim light and the shadows changed when ever the flame flickered.
For some reason that night I woke up at about 3.00am. I had my mum on one side and my older sister on the other. I was quite awake and looking around the house when I saw this long narrow and black shadow on the distant wall.
It did not bother me but then I saw it move and it looked like it was wriggling. So I rolled over in that direction and looked more carefully. The light was pretty dim and I could not see very well. Just kept my eyes focussed trying to figure out what the hell it was. Something black and moving and on the surface of the wall.
It suddenly hit me. It was a snake. Was it a Cobra ??
My God. My aunt was sleeping closest to the wall. I was scared to move in case I was responsible for the snake biting my aunt.
I then realised that I totally froze with fear. Could not move or speak. I was trying to nudge my mum. But just could not. The more I looked at the shadow it appeared to be slowly coming down. I must have just passed out after this….
It was morning and my mother was waking me up saying it was "time to rise and shine", my mum's favourite expression.
As I opened my eyes I remembered the snake. I was just going to tell my mum when I saw this black thing on the wall. My dad had taken his black belt and hung it on the nail on the wall that I was looking at. He had never done that before.
The belt swayed gently in the breeze from the fan and the dim flickering light made it look like a Cobra
I was just nine years old. We were living at Karaneswarar Koil street, Mylapore, Madras. There was this one big hall where we all slept side by side dad, mum and me and my sisters. Though we had electricity at night we lit a small kerosene oil lamp or lantern which gave a dim light and the shadows changed when ever the flame flickered.
For some reason that night I woke up at about 3.00am. I had my mum on one side and my older sister on the other. I was quite awake and looking around the house when I saw this long narrow and black shadow on the distant wall.
It did not bother me but then I saw it move and it looked like it was wriggling. So I rolled over in that direction and looked more carefully. The light was pretty dim and I could not see very well. Just kept my eyes focussed trying to figure out what the hell it was. Something black and moving and on the surface of the wall.
It suddenly hit me. It was a snake. Was it a Cobra ??
My God. My aunt was sleeping closest to the wall. I was scared to move in case I was responsible for the snake biting my aunt.
I then realised that I totally froze with fear. Could not move or speak. I was trying to nudge my mum. But just could not. The more I looked at the shadow it appeared to be slowly coming down. I must have just passed out after this….
It was morning and my mother was waking me up saying it was "time to rise and shine", my mum's favourite expression.
As I opened my eyes I remembered the snake. I was just going to tell my mum when I saw this black thing on the wall. My dad had taken his black belt and hung it on the nail on the wall that I was looking at. He had never done that before.
The belt swayed gently in the breeze from the fan and the dim flickering light made it look like a Cobra
……PHEW.
