Day One

In the inner recesses of Hayward, California. A flat-out ugly city teeming with traffic and life. I found the office again in the maze of industrial buildings, alleyways and cul-de-sacs. Wandered in to meet a few co-workers and find a seat at my desk. I worked through the morning signing autographs for permits and tax forms and allegiances to the state mandate.

In a back room a grid of caged snakes reach up toward the ceiling. Mostly garter snakes: San Francisco, giant, aquatic, and the especially striking red-sided. All hanging out in their confines waiting for the next meal. In one bucket I have a bunch of goldfish and in a small pitcher I have some tiny minnows. Watching snakes eat fish has to be one of the coolest things ever. I'm use to the squeak and thrash of rats and chicks going down the gullet of our old pet Burmese Python. That's great and all, but can turn a stomach caught unawares. This on the other hand is awesome through and through. I'm holding Mario the office gopher snake and watching this slaughter go down in the serpent highrise. The coast garter snake just ate five large goldfish and has an equal amount of bulges along his frame, Damn!

I'm putting together my field bag equipped with PIT tagging syringes and microchips for implanting the poor slytherines. Scales and probes, loupe and gps. I feel prepared for anything like MacGyver or Jack Bauer. Heading out in the morning for my first field day in the Oakland Hills.