No Country For Old Snails

So, I've been reading everyone's 25 random facts things and have really enjoyed all of them.  So I have decided to make my own list but only pertaining to animals.  I'm not doing 25 though.  I'll start and see when I run out of things.

1.  When I was in 1st grade I used to collect snails.  I used to find them walking back home from school with my nanny.  It was in this small garden surrounding a sign made of stone for some corporate building, where I would find a dizzying arraying of snails for my taking.  I remember liking the small ones because I wanted to be a father to them.  I would take my time to find the perfect one.  I then stuck it in my pocket for the long journey home where I would provide a safe-haven for it.  Over the course of a month I had created a small snail country in an old kimchee jar.  The jar was fully equipped with a celery stalk and holes poked on the lid for ventilation.  I remember collecting about a dozen or so snails until my mom decided it was enough.  My mom actually enjoyed having them around for several reasons but mainly because they were low maintenance while fulfilling my need to adopt-a-pet.  She and I would take them out and let them crawl all over our arms for exercise.  

Everything was fine and dandy until one day I came home and somehow the snails managed to escape.  Some didn't make it far, some ingested something bad, bubbled up and died.  Not all were accounted for so my nanny and I remained searching for it.  In the midst of our frantic search party I stepped on one.  With my bare foot.  It was probably the worst sensation I've ever felt next to stepping on a tropical fish at the pet store (next story).  But this was even worse because it was with my bare foot, and it was my child!  I lifted up my foot and started screaming staring at the mess I've created.  I took off all my clothes, jumped in the shower and began crying much like Tobias would've.  

Afterwards, I put on my pants and stuck my hand in my pocket only to find the snail I found on my way home in a goopy mess.  At this point, my second killing didn't even register in my brain.  I was already done with snails.  I told this story to an old friend in high school and she made me a clay snail to help me overcome my issue with them but that broke too.  Thanks anyways Lisa.  I haven't forgotten...

Well, I guess that was long enough.  That was only #1!  It wasn't even much of a fact, it was a story.  I'm sorry.  I will try to condense the upcoming stories into facts.  

Thanks for reading!

listening:  Organ Rounds- Moondog