Life Goes On Series Part 2 “Symbiotic Relationships”
Description: “To Conquer the Jungle, You don’t fight the jungle. You become part of the jungle.” JM
There was one paved road running by my post all the way to Saigon. Anything on it after Dark was open Season to all. A Very, Very Dangerous place to be. However, in Dire Situations , my Unit was the one that would have to go out.
So one night, I got the call and out we went. You only ran with infrared lights which hardly showed the road. We soon hit a bump. I thought we may have hit a sniper or civilian so we stopped. Turned out it was a 9 foot Rock Python that was stretched across the road to absorb the heat from the pavement. It was lifeless but we couldn’t stay there. If we left it, the jungle would claim it overnight so I threw it in the Jeep and brought it back to my barracks and put it under my bed. I figure worst thing I’d get was a great belt and pair of boots out of it.
Next morning, there it was all coil up under the foot of my bed. I noticed another thing, no Vermin had chewed on my boots for the first time. Now “Rocky” as I named him could leave anytime but he stayed put and took care of the rodent situation. I might add I had a Lizard living in my pillow called “Billy” . He would handle all the local insect Problems. In the morning sometimes, he’d be on my chest bobbing his head up and down.
And so we lived as one happy “SYMBIOTIC FAMILY” for about 3 weeks. While on patrol, I got a call to get back to the barracks ASAP. Apparently, “Rocky” was a “Rockette” and we had little Pythons curled all over the barracks on Bedposts, etc. So, I gather what I could, released some into the wild , and gave some out the various companies that wanted them. About 3 days later Rockette finally left on her own for the Jungle. If you think about it, she had a safe place to lay her eggs and without having to leave them had an automatic food source and safety. At least “Billy” stayed with me.
Today I look back and smile how nature can work in so many wonderful ways if we let it. - JM
Life Goes On Series Part 2 “Symbiotic Relationships”
Description: “To Conquer the Jungle, You don’t fight the jungle. You become part of the jungle.” JM
There was one paved road running by my post all the way to Saigon. Anything on it after Dark was open Season to all. A Very, Very Dangerous place to be. However, in Dire Situations , my Unit was the one that would have to go out.
So one night, I got the call and out we went. You only ran with infrared lights which hardly showed the road. We soon hit a bump. I thought we may have hit a sniper or civilian so we stopped. Turned out it was a 9 foot Rock Python that was stretched across the road to absorb the heat from the pavement. It was lifeless but we couldn’t stay there. If we left it, the jungle would claim it overnight so I threw it in the Jeep and brought it back to my barracks and put it under my bed. I figure worst thing I’d get was a great belt and pair of boots out of it.
Next morning, there it was all coil up under the foot of my bed. I noticed another thing, no Vermin had chewed on my boots for the first time. Now “Rocky” as I named him could leave anytime but he stayed put and took care of the rodent situation. I might add I had a Lizard living in my pillow called “Billy” . He would handle all the local insect Problems. In the morning sometimes, he’d be on my chest bobbing his head up and down.
And so we lived as one happy “SYMBIOTIC FAMILY” for about 3 weeks. While on patrol, I got a call to get back to the barracks ASAP. Apparently, “Rocky” was a “Rockette” and we had little Pythons curled all over the barracks on Bedposts, etc. So, I gather what I could, released some into the wild , and gave some out the various companies that wanted them. About 3 days later Rockette finally left on her own for the Jungle. If you think about it, she had a safe place to lay her eggs and without having to leave them had an automatic food source and safety. At least “Billy” stayed with me.
Today I look back and smile how nature can work in so many wonderful ways if we let it. - JM