Dundalk Snake

I ran the Charm City Reptile and Amphibian Rescue for 14 years (no longer in operation). 

Someone found a snake

One Sunday, while we were cleaning cages, I received a call from a person all the way on the other side of town. Dundalk, a working-class area, has a reputation for being the blue-collar part of town. I know several people who live there, and they are great. However, the reputation precedes them. With its water treatment plant emitting a horrible stench that can be smelled throughout the area, it is often the butt of jokes. That being said, here’s a nice Dundalk story.

Mike went on a road trip

Mike, a volunteer, went above and beyond the normal volunteering and said he would drive to “The Dalk” as he calls Dundalk, to retrieve a “yellow snake” found in a yard. The people were not willing to bring it to me (Arghhhhh! That is so frustrating!). Should I chew your food for you, too? Sorry to be bitter, but I give so much of my blood, sweat and tears, it hurts when people can’t be bothered to simply drive the animal to me.

I figured the animal was non-native; therefore, something that should not be released back into the wild. It sounded like an albino something. We don’t really have any yellow snakes in Maryland. You never know, though. If people don’t send me a photo, their descriptions are often way off the mark.

Mike took off for Dundalk. It’s about a 40-45 minute drive from my house. I told him to ask for a donation, even though I forgot to tell the people who called. Gas and time alone should be rewarded with something, right?

Here comes the snake

Mike came back and he was so disgusted. It turned out to be an albino California kingsnake. I was right, it was non-native.

“What’s wrong?” I asked Mike.

He had asked for a donation and the husband was appalled. The wife reached into her stretchy polyester slacks and pulled out two one-dollar bills and handed them to Mike. “Here’s your donation.”

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

I guess Mike either made a face or said something about how little that was. He gets paid decent money working as a social worker. Between his driving an hour and a half (to The Dalk and back) and his time plus gas, two dollars didn’t seem like much of a donation.

The husband looked into Mike’s eyes and said, “I coulda’ killed it for free!”

Some people, you’ve gotta love ’em!

P.S. Mike fell in love with the snake and adopted it himself.

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Read more by Holli Friedland.