The last time I got to hang out with cousin “Soup” was on a float trip a few years ago on Flat Creek, my home town river just a few miles from Aurora Missouri. I was riding with his niece Jewels in a canoe and he was on a stand up paddle board following behind. Originally it was Jewels and Soup in the same boat, but after the first obstacle I switched places with him for fear of Jewels safety. I had just finished telling Jewels that it was too cold for snakes to be in the water, when we noticed a huge water moccasin coming directly towards the front of our boat. Ringo my black lab who was swimming next to us met the snake head on. The snake, floating on top of the water, coiled up and started snapping at Ringo just a few feet from our boat. Jason paddled like crazy at the two as Jewels and I paddled in the opposite direction. He pulled up to the fight sitting on the board and smacked the snake with his paddle while grabbing Ringo by the collar. He somehow was able to get them apart and the snake swam away. Ringo and the rest of us came out unharmed. Soup just laughed and said that snake was lucky because my gun was in your boat.

Sam.