A Snake In The Grass

A co- worker of mine when I worked in Orlando took a friend of his fishing on one of central Florida's many grassy lakes.  His friend had come down from up north to do some Florida fishing and visit his friend.  As they were motoring along a channel with grass on both sides of them, fishing the holes in the grass, they came upon a very large water moccasin laying on top of the grass with dozens of baby snakes laying across its back. As they eased by the friend reached over and grabbed a paddle and took a swing at the snake and missed and his momentum took him right over the side of the boat. Fortunately the other guy was close enough to reach out and grab his belt before he fully dove into the water. As my co-worker told this story his comment was: "isn't that just like a Yankee, piss off a bunch of poisonous snakes and then jump into the water with them". Anyone who has ever been around this species of snake should know that it is nothing to be trifled with. The bigger they are the meaner they are.

That story reminds me of the new form of diplomacy being used by N. Korea and Kim Jung-Un.  Threaten a super power, their allies with total destruction and then give them weekly updates on your progress. Somehow that co-worker story and the present machinations by the N. Korea leader connect in my mind. I'm glad, for what ever reason the US has, that they are using restraint with this saber rattler.