Aaaaargh, it's a snake!

Tuesday was my second day at the Cape Times. On my first day, I arrived before the woman who was going to get me set up, so I ended up loitering at the security desk and chatting with the guards. I’ve noticed that when it comes up that I’m American, the election will eventually also come up. So far, I’ve averaged one conversation about Barack Obama or Sarah Palin (McCain is sort of there in the background as a foil) per day. Also, Wisconsin is best described as “north of Chicago.”

Everyone at the CT is very helpful and nice and seems to have a sense of humor. I’ve been offered food, lifts home, and a lot of patience about the fact that I didn’t have my magnetic key until Wednesday (you have to wave it at most doors if you want them to open. Even if you just want to get OUT). A good number are interns, mostly South African, but there is a British girl, and there have been a few Americans in recent years as well. So they actually have a helpful “how-to” guide for interns unused to South African style. R100,000 is R100 000, 7:30 p.m. is 7.30pm, and 25 percent is 25%. For starters.

Better yet! On my first day, I attended a lot of meetings, including ones I probably won’t ever be included in again, and researched the government between meetings. I will not be summarizing my findings here. On my second day, I was offered the choice of not writing anything, and then offhand my editor said, “There’s one thing, it doesn’t have to be today, it’s just a photo, really, but…” And that’s how I wound up in the suburbs watching Shaun MacLeod, pet groomer and volunteer snake catcher, handling deadly Cape cobras and puffadders about three feet from my face. I also got to hold some California king snakes (people import them as pets from the US). And, after calling a herpetologist and a poison centre (yes, centre), I got to write 350 words for page 3 about winter hibernation ending and what to do if you find a deadly snake in your home.

“Judging from your accent,” Shaun said when I arrived, “you would probably know what this is.” He showed me an enormous diamondback rattler someone had been keeping as a pet. Since it’s an exotic species, Shaun couldn’t release it. He seemed pretty unconcerned about the fact, though. In his time as a handler of deadly reptiles, he's been bitten only once, by a Cape cobra a couple years ago. "That was a learning curve," he told me.

Did I mention I’ve been hankering for a pet snake for a couple years now? Yeah. Still hankering.