Speaking of ... My high school BFF just left after a weeklong visit. Our communication 2 hours later is below:
Good thing you left when you did. I was just stripping the sheets from your bed, throwing the comforter and throw on the floor and removing the top sheet and pillow cases. I took those to the laundry room and returned to your room to remove the bottom sheet. First, however, I pushed the comforter out of the way and touched something soft and black that moved away from my hand. I moved the comforter some more and saw that it was a snake!! I grabbed a 5 gallon bucket and, carefully exposing the snake, I covered it with the bucket. I then held the bucket down securely and slid it slowly all the way to the front door. I propped the screen door open, grabbed the flat shovel, then slid the bucket up to the threshold. I tipped up the side of the bucket that was nearest the door to let the snake escape towards the porch, then threw the bucket off and used the shovel to fling it outside. It scooted into the garden.
It appeared to be a black snake or a king snake about 2 feet long. <shudder> Where it came from, I have no idea.
I immediately got a call in response to my email.
Her: Are you telling me I slept with a snake last night?
Me: I have no idea. Did you?
H: Well, when I got into bed last night, I felt something move against my foot, but I thought it was Milo.
M: No. I threw Milo out last night with the rest of the cats.
H: OMG. I slept with a snake last night.
M: Well, that *would* explain where it came from when I found it. I was mystified. If it was in your bed, it came out when I threw the covers off and that’s why it was under the comforter on the floor.
H: I can feel my heart rate increasing and I'm starting to sweat.
M: Yeah, I’m glad we found out afterward. Otherwise you’d have been taken out of here on a stretcher and receiving CPR.
Of all people, this had to happen to her. She’s afraid of the chickens because they flap their wings. She’s such a city girl that she won’t even go in the backyard the entire time she’s here. She closed and locked her bedroom windows as soon as she arrived, and carries a handgun with her everywhere; she’s licensed to carry a concealed weapon. In other words, She packs heat! She has fears about her fears. Anxiety doesn’t begin to describe it. OMG.
On further thought, I finally figured out that the cat, who took a shine to my friend, brought her a gift and left it in her bed. He didn't kill it as he would normally do, because he wanted to reserve that honor for her.