Cobra Snake Odyssey !

This dammed computer that made me do this blog over because I lost the first try somewhere in that dark dungeon inside its guts. Why am I so sure it was better than this one? (This computer is the greatest love hate relationship of my long life.)

Yes, they did find the Egyptian Cobra snake inside its home at the Bronx Zoo coiled up in a corner under some pipes. The Cobra is a good metaphor of what’s going on in Egypt. Mubarak may be gone but the Generals who kept him in power are still running the country. Like the good citizens of Egypt the snake was just looking for her freedom. Alas it didn’t happen. As it is not happening in Egypt. Of course this brings me to my story.

As some of my regular readers know I grew up a short distance from the Bronx Zoo. At 181st Street entrance there is a lake created by a dam on the Bronx River. It was built by the Lorllard Tobacco Company back in the late 1890s as a water powered Snuff Mill. The Boathouse at the river rents out row boats.

In my 12-13 years after school and on weekends I would run down to the Boathouse and see if I could earn a quarter an hour rowing people around the river. There were lots of “row boys” competing for the quarter. Remember this was the Great Depression. We needed to pass a rowing test in order to be “certified.” That was done by an ex boxer who ran the Boathouse and was simply known as Boss.

It was on a beautiful sun drenched Spring day I was fooling around with a bunch of other Dock Boys when Boss came over to me, said “I want you to row Dr. Dit--------ous around the lake. Do not take any money from him. He runs the Zoo and we got to be real nice to him, okay?” Of course I said yes, what else could I do? But I sure did not like the not getting paid idea.

As we climbed into the boat me in the middle seat facing the man sitting in the stern seat. He introduced himself as Dr. Raymond Ditmars. Added “Bob just call me Raymond.” As I rowed up river he kept a close eye on the banks as if looking for something.Then would suddenly pointing say, “over there.” I would head for the bank as he climbed past me and was out of the boat as soon as it hit the dirt. For the love of me I couldn't figure out what on earth he was doing?

Yupp, there he was the head man at the Zoo turning over rocks shouting, “come here boy and see this. This is a family of Salamanders. Here are some little fish probably Shiners. Oh look at these ant nests and worms, worms,” he was in heaven. That’s how we spent the afternoon from one bank to the other turning over rocks checking on creeks leading onto the river and all the time exclaiming how wonderful it is to explore the earth.

Raymond looked at his watch said, “by God we better get back they’ll be wondering what happened to us.” As we pulled up to the dock Dr. Ditmars said, “now Bob if your ever in the Zoo don’t forget to visit me over in the Snake House.” Boss met us and Raymond assured him we had a wonderful afternoon.

It was some time later I was wondering around the Zoo with me sister Hedda who is a couple of years older than me. As we passed the Snake House I told her about Dr. Ditmars. I could tell she was a little skeptical of what might be just another “Bobbie story.” Once inside the building I asked the Keeper if Dr. Ditmars was there? “Yes” he said and, “who might I say is calling?” Oh just tell him it’s Bob the Rowboy from the Boathouse.” A short time later Dr. Ditmars came out gave me a big greeting as I introduced him to my sister. he suggested we go behind the cages and see the new life being born out back.

As we walked along our guide kept up a constant talk about how snakes are misunderstood. “They are really quiet friendly. It’s only when we encroach upon their turf that they get nervous. Even then a rattlesnake will give you warning, your getting to close." In the middle of the talk he brought out a snake about 2 foot long and threw it around Hedda’s shoulders. Poor Hedda just froze as I wondered if this man was crazy. He just laughed said “look the Garter snake is just looking for a nice warm spot to settle down, maybe in your armpit to take a nap.” Slowly as my sister and I recovered our composure we also began to laugh with our Snake House Guide.

What I mostly learned form Raymond Ditmars was, his passionate love of nature. The need to understand it and give all creatures their space. Yet the the most important of all for me was the turning over rocks to see what might be hidden underneath. Maybe I have been doing that for most of my life.

PS. Some time ago I learned that Newt Gingrich claimed that Dr. Ditmars was an inspiration for much of his life. No, we are not strange bedfellows. We probably found different things that we were looking for. This boy will keep looking under rocks. Thank you Raymond Ditmars.

Reminded of the last stanza of a poem Emily Dicknson.

Never met this fellow,
Attended or alone,
Without a tighter breathing.
And a zero at the bone.