Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: CHILL (11/24/22)
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TITLE: Playing the Odds | Previous Challenge Entry
By Corinne Smelker
12/01/22 -
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Ralph nodded and walked out of the large kitchen into the bright autumn sun. After a stretch of chilly, damp days, this was the best day to harvest the maize from the large field that abutted their horse farm.
Ralph started the golf cart and drove over to the field’s entrance. Many of his employees saw or heard the cart, stopped work, and began walking towards the main house to enjoy a well-earned break. Joyce’s lunches were legendary, and the Howards were a generous couple to work for.
After about five minutes, Ralph started up the cart again, thoughts on the marvellous meat pies his wife had expertly prepared that morning when he noticed Karl, one of his most faithful employees, still in the field. Hmmm, that’s not like Karl. He’s usually first off the field for lunch.
He slowly drove over the rough hillocks and strewn maize leaves towards Karl. Perhaps he’d hurt himself and needed a lift? As Ralph drew closer, Karl started gesticulating wildly, whirling his arms like a windmill, but strangely enough, he only moved his upper body; from the waist down, he was like a statue. Ralph stopped the cart about 10 metres from Karl, got out, and started walking.
“No!” Karl whisper-shouted.
“What? Why?”
“Don’t come closer, and don’t make any sudden movements. Look!” He shakily pointed towards his feet, and that is when Ralph saw it, a snake draped across Karl’s open-toed sandals.
A snake. Not just any snake, a puff adder*, a venomous snake with the fastest strike in the world. Notoriously slow-moving, the puff adder was colloquially known as ‘the chill one,’ but the snake had a lightning-fast strike when provoked.
“What happened?”
Karl shook his head ruefully. “I was just cutting the mielies and felt something brush against my foot. I thought it was the leaves, so went to move my foot when I realised it was far too heavy to be a leaf. I looked down and saw this guy had fallen asleep across my feet! The warm day after the chill of the last few days must have brought him out.”
Quickly Ralph played the odds in his head. If Karl moved and the snake struck, they’d have about 45 minutes to get him to the hospital and get some anti-venom. Any longer than that, and the risk of death went up exponentially. Five minutes to get him from the field to the house; two minutes to load him into the car; five minutes to get off the farm; ten minutes to the main road; 45 minutes to the hospital… it can’t be done. Even if I drove 150 kilometres per hour, we’d still not make it.
Karl had obviously done the maths in his head too. “I'll wait,” he said.
“For how long?”
“For as long as it takes,” Karl replied.
“I’m not going anywhere; I'll wait with you.”
According to Joyce Howard, the men waited 45 long agonizing minutes before the puff adder awoke from its nap and slithered off into the maize. According to Ralph, it was more like two hours, but he may be exaggerating since they were the ones in the field, trying to remain chill whilst certain death slumbered.
Regardless, Karl is a legend in the Howard household, and the story provided great dinner talk for years to come.
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Ralph Howard was my riding instructor, and this is a true story.
* Puff Adders
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