<p style="text-align:center;"><strong> </strong><em>by Guest Blog Contributor Jody Payne</em></p>
The truth is: Snakes down here are very dangerous. One nearly drowned my cousin, twice removed. It’s true. I swanee.

<a href="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/cotton-mouth.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4426" src="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/cotton-mouth.jpg" alt="cotton mouth" width="275" height="183" /></a>This cousin, twice removed, was out fishing on the bayou one evening when a snake dropped out of a tree and landed in his boat.

When he heard the thump and saw that white cottonmouth gaping open at him, he grabbed his shotgun and shot the filthy thing.
<p style="text-align:center;">Killed him dead.</p>
He’s a good shot. I’ll give him that.

Unfortunately, the bullet went right through the snake and made a good size hole in this boat. It wasn’t until he felt the water up to his knees that he realized what he’d done.

Don’t tell my aunt I told you this because she’s trying to keep the whole incident quiet, but frankly, no one down here is surprised. We’re inclined to think there was beer involved.

At least, I’m hoping so. His drinking problem can be cured. Stupid is another matter.

Oh come on, you don’t have a cousin like that? ‘Fess up. You don’t have to use his real name here, and you’ll make us all feel better about our own kin.

Your aunt will never know.
<p style="text-align:center;"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<a href="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4290" src="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jody.jpg?w=150" alt="jody" width="150" height="150" /></a>Jody Payne is

a writer (fiction and non-fiction),

a horse woman (dressage, no less),

an animal lover (just ask her two rescue dogs Annie and Janie or my two four-legged boys, Toby and Buster),

and most of all she’s southern through and through.

Visit her on FB: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays">https://www.facebook.com/jodypaynesays</a>

Her website: <a href="http://www.jodypayne.net/">www.jodypayne.net</a>

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