The Copperhead that Bit Me(Tom Williams) I was thinking about the Copperhead snake that bit me in the leg two summers ago. As everyone whom is truly in the know, knows, Fly Fishing is more a state of mind than actual fishing. There is something about carrying a frail rod, laden with line that is antique in technology through a riffleing river in the foggy dawn or as another day ends peacefully at sunset. The land animals grow quiet in their impending rest and the very air, earth and water change in the time of man and water. I parked at the Cox's Chapel ramp on the New river, (which happens to be the second oldest river in the world ironically) and took my first step into the waters that were an August warm of 65 degrees. The rapid current carressed my legs and pulled at them saying "Walk down stream because that is the direction I flow". I chose indifference in my own arrogance of mortal knowledge of every riffle, plunge pool and twist of the river and headed upstream. I had ignored that the river had seen many like me. I was but an insignificant whisper of its life and wisdom. I, in thought and heart was a venturer, immune to mere nature because I was experienced in the natural world. I was the one who had waded on the flats of sub-tropical Florida in Bull shark territory and lived to bring a twenty five pound Snook to shore. I had petted manatee's in Tampa Bay because they chose to visit me. I hiked the Mount Roger's wilderness and had found the tiniest stream to cast my fly and catch a Native Appalachian Brook Trout of twelve inches. I was the one who counseled a human chasing bear face to face armed with only a knife and convinced it of its sins, (it is a good bear now). I chose, in human conceit to walk upstream.

The water quickly rose to my waiste pulling even harder and beckoning me to choose the current over my own perception. I trudged upstream fighting the old New in sure knowledge that a Bass would take my fly just below the class two rapid that lay ahead. I gazed over the shallow, rocky, boulder strewn obstacles between me and the honey hole. "I'll get that seven pounder today" I thought in surety that God had blessed me from a lifetime in commitment to nature and all that it possesed. "God knows my heart and today I will be blessed with his grace. After all, I am the one that cleans trash from the river when others walk by. I am the steward of these waters and I deserve their best.

The waters grew shallow again and a warm breeze blew at the cool water on my legs. I stepped onto a gravel bar and plucked a geode from the mix. I placed it in my pocket while gazing to the honey hole. "I'll just cross the shallows through the boulders and then my fly will be free to cast. I'll catch that bass today." The cool waters covered my legs again and once more the current pulled. A doe drank on the shore just ahead as a formation of Canadian Geese flew past quickly, honking loudly as they went. "This is certainly a good day" I thought as the river's magic spelled me, taking me off guard. No thought of slippery rock, fast current, bears or any other danger was in my senses. Only the ever louder riffleing river filled my ears as the beauty of the land and waterscape stole my judgement like an unseen ghost. I neared the first boulder, looking ahead with confidence and freed my fly from its stay on the old rod and peeled out forty feet of line from the reel. Suddenly my world changed in an instant from as being one with water, sky and nature into a mere mortal, vulnerable to the very things I had just enjoyed as part of my soul. A Copperhead of three feet long swam quickly in my direction seeming angry that I had entered its realm. Just as it reached me I jumped into the air. I felt the smallest of bumps on my leg and the serpent dissappeared into a pile of branches just as quickly as it had shown its evil presence.

My heart pounded so loudly that I could feel it in my ears. Dizziness overcame me as I ran to the large, high boulder just ahead. I climbed it quickly and looked at the branch pile with intensity in hope the devil snake was gone for good. My body felt fine as I had none of the painful symptoms of snakebite that I had read about. In my panic, I didn't even glance at my leg. The wicked snake was nowhere in sight so I jumped from high safety again into my fate. The fly that I had tied just an hour or so before flew perfectly on my five weight rod. It sailed with artful precision as all forty feet of the line shot to its target like a fast bullet. The fly drifted through the high rapids and paused in a swirl of clear, cool raced as the floating line was pulled beneath the surface. I had indeed been rewarded. My arrogance returned. After twenty minutes the seven pound Smallmouth was in my hand. It had in fact been a very good day with even better stories of the wild to tell. I knelt in the shallows to unhook and release my prize, that's when I saw my leg for the first time.

Blood poured from two tiny holes in my calf, unwilling to clot as venom thinned my blood. A sickley mass of blue, black and red surrounded the wound. My hand trembled as I placed it on the bite and pressed. The area was hot, sore and still pouring thin, bright red blood. My arrogance again faded quickly and the world around me seemed more than I was able to survive in. "Will I die here? Is this it? I wanted to go out with style and not fall poisned face first into a river. I wanted to die deactivating a nuclear bomb or saving a child from a burning house." "Stupid man dies walking through a known snake area" the paper would read. "He died over a fish. What an idiot." I looked far down stream to the landing. "If I can make it there then I'll survive." The realization that I would have to cross the same boulder strewn snake lair to find safety crossed my mind. "Two bites will kill me for sure. Won't they?"

Greatly humbled, I gazed across the rocky realm of the serpent knowing I would have to face evil once again to secure life. The truth, in fear and humility found me again. I had forgotten about the very God that only a short time before I was so sure would bless me on this day. He did bless me with a bass and the final moments of my life would be surrounded with beauty. "How could you be so stupid to think there was a time of water and man? You are only a small part of something much greater. You, in arrogance, have failed to see your place in the world and now there is no time left to change. God please give me more time. I'll change, I promise. I respect the world you created now. I've learned my lesson. Save me, Please?" Only the water rushed and the wind blew. There was no profound answer from above. I sat on a rock in misery and silence. Not even my creator cared of my fate. I had thought to have knowledge of his world. I was once a naturalist but now only a dying wreck of bones and flesh that would wash with the current and rot. The river had warned me but again I chose to listen to nothing but myself. A single tear fell from my eye and insignificantly fell into the swirling water at my feet. I looked up again with a final plee. "Please get me home to my wife. Please let me see my son smile again. Please give me time to change." From somewhere both deep in my soul and everywhere, and nowhere My subconscious mind heard a small voice. "Show faith in me and you will see that I've been here all along." "Did I really hear that? Is the poison affecting my mind? I do have faith yet feel abandoned. Even in the lonely and frail time of my life, I do have faith."

I stood with shaking legs as the sun fell behind a far mountain. Darkness surrounded me. I wondered if it was just the time of day or the serpents juice taking a toll on my eyes. A single beam of light shone in the dim waters from the retreating sun just over the mountain. I walked toward the reptiles lair with boldness and yes, faith. The wooded pile of debris lay less than five feet away now. I searched it for the monster with a large rock in hand. I saw nothing dangerous nor alive. The twilight river aided me with both current to quicken my step and coolness to sooth my wound. The car was just a small clip up the hill now. Every step burned in my leg. My hand shook as I turned the key and opened the door. "Where did I put my doctor's number? Please let her answer my call." "Calm down" she said. "Copperheads rarely kill anyone." I photographed the bite and sent it quickly to her phone certain she would direct me to the hospital. "It looks like a dry bite. Go home and put some ice on it." "What? Can't you see the blackened mess around the bleeding holes? Are you blind woman?" "You can go to the hospital and spend a bunch of money for nothing if you want but I would go home if I were you." My head hung low, defeated by nature, my own fear and an incompassionate woman. I drove slowly home but with faith restored.
The end

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