Phobias and ophidiophobia

I thought of writing a book on phobias and there is not a lot of terminology to fill a book.

So I have to start with dentist phobia.

I do not fear the dentist but I fear his drill and like a snake I cannot stand vibrations.

Snakes can detect vibration of humans footsteps  20 feet away and they are gone even before one step out of the door.

I lived with a giant cobra in my official quarters as a DMO which I used to call as the reincarnation of the former DMO.

I do not fear cockroaches or insects but I hate mosquitoes.

I can tolerate their bite but hate their music.

I have trained my ears to hear soft cardiac murmurs that are not audible unless amplified by a simple tubing system called a stethoscope.

I have given my cardiac stethoscope to a practising doctor since I have said goodbye to diagnostics for good but keep a spare, just for posterity.

Ophidiophobia is fearing snakes.

I have lived around all types of snakes in Galagedera where T.B.and Thamara Illangaratne cut their political and literary teeth.

I have killed a young cobra even before I was three years old and another innocent water snake when I was about 8 years and vowed  not to kill any animal but killed a rat in rage and several toads (gased by chloroform) while doing Advanced Level practicals.

I respect all cockroaches but accidentally trampled  one today and hence this piece  and the cockroach is my evolutionary illuminary or friend who has outlived even dinasaures.

I hate Chinese who even eat cockroaches, who are  the biggest danger to mother earth, apart from their contribution to global warming.

Every Chinese dying of Coronavirus is a blessing for the well-being of the planet earth.

If is not Russia we have to fear but China's global expansion in many fields.

Coming back to my phobia of snakes is a new phenomenon.

During the last three years I have encountered three large cobras and one I touched accidentally fetching the morning post.

That did not bother me but the giant cobra behind my back resting on a parapet wall in front of the big fish tank was a near miss.

Fellow had come looking for frogs and my fish tank is the main attraction of all frogs and toads.

Even the long tail of the chameleon provokes fear of snakes now.

MugaMaruwa or Ceylon krait, I touched accidentally, nearly killed our dog.

I have found a plant with pungent smell to repel them but the fear lingers on.

Hence the reason for writing a book on phobias.