I sit beside my bottle of chlorine gas (used as an anesthetic) ready for patients. I, Clarence Jones, left my home in 1840 and moved to California. Now it is 1860, and trouble is brewing in the east.

However, nothing much happens in my remote farm. I went to my wine press and made from fresh grape juice, so that I could serve some to the next patient.

Suddenly, a rattlesnake crawled near me. I went near it. “Well, hello, Jeremy the I”, I said. In fact that was Jeremy the I, Jeremy’s (Frank’s friend), great-great-great-great-great relative.

“I see that you brought plenty of weaponry”. “Well, yes Jeremy the I”. “However, I joined the snake alliance and do not want to harm them”. “After all, they help all kinds of creatures by balancing predator and prey”

“Yes, I know”. “You speak the truth.” “However, as I say, nothing is good in excess, so you have a right to control our numbers.

“True, true”, I said. Then I said to him “Would you like some food?” He was very happy. “Oh, sure.” So I gave him some food.

To be continued