Saturday was snake in the grass day. It seems that 2026 is a prime year for these culprits to rear their ugly heads. For those of you not familiar with the southern idiom, snake in the grass means a “treacherous person, as in Ben secretly applied for the same job as his best friend; no one knew he was such a snake in the grass. This metaphor for treachery, alluding to a poisonous snake concealed in tall grass, was used in 37 b.c. by the Roman poet Virgil (latet anguis in herba). It was first recorded in English in 1696 as the title of a book by Charles Leslie.”

 SNAKE IN THE GRASS OPTIONS

 While I suppose I could have used Texas idioms for dishonest for this blog, somehow they do not fit the situation. For the uninitiated, Texans use the following phrases when referring to dishonesty:

 He’s on a first-name basis with the bottom of the deck.
So crooked that if he swallowed a nail he’d spit up a corkscrew.
So crooked you can’t tell from his tracks if he’s coming or going.
He knows more ways to take your money than a roomful of lawyers.
Crooked as a dog’s hind leg.
Crooked as the Brazos.
Slicker than a slop jar.
More twists than a pretzel factory.
Crooked as a barrel of fish hooks.
So crooked he has to unscrew his britches at night.
She’s more slippery than a pocketful of pudding.
He’s slicker than a boiled onion.
I wouldn’t trust him any farther than I can throw him.

 DEALING WITH A SNAKE IN THE GRASS POLITICIAN

 The morning dawned with my weekly commitment to protest the U.S. self-appointed King, who seems to model the very definition of a snake in the grass. My biggest problem is that I was taught from childhood to follow the rules. However, in my estimate, the would-be King believes that the country’s rules are made to be broken. Supporting this concept is difficult for me.

The hourly protest in the town square of ruby red La Grange, Texas, was unremarkable. Several thumbs down, two coal rolling trucks, and lots of honks.

 FYI: I have friends on the other side of the political spectrum, and I love them anyway. I just feel the need to express my snakely concerns.

 DEALING WITH A REAL SNAKE IN THE GRASS

 After dealing with the King, I came home only to find two literal snakes in the grass! My handyman killed one of the copperheads by my she shed air conditioning unit. The other was hanging out by a large pot on my front porch. I walked by that sucker six times in two hours, and he did not move. Finally, I decided to take action. Fetching my snake stick and Bowie knife from my she shed, I resolved to take care of the snake in the grass for good. But, lo and behold, the treacherous viper decided to skedaddle before I could hone in on the kill.

 LAST THOUGHTS ON A SNAKE IN THE GRASS

 If you haven’t seen this video of President Trump reading The Snake Poem posted on the White House website, I suggest you do. He likes to portray illegal aliens in campaign appearances as snakes in the grass.

 I’ll leave you to ponder this blog along with the following information from www.verywellmind.com.:

 Projection is a defense mechanism where individuals subconsciously attribute their own undesirable traits to others to avoid facing these traits themselves. Rooted in the psychoanalytic theory suggested by Sigmund Freud, projection can harm personal relationships and contribute to issues like jealousy or misunderstanding. Understanding this mechanism and its impact can help you recognize it and work towards healthier coping strategies.

 Thank you for your attention to this matter. MWW

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