One night, we were fishing out at his house. When we were finished, we started walking up to the house. Ronnie went to the back of the house and I went around to the front to put the fishing poles in the garage. Just as I reached the garage, I heard Ronnie yell, "Judy, get me the gun." I ran around to the back and Ronnie said, "Gene, stay back. I just stepped on a snake." Judy came to the back door and asked, "Why do you want the gun?" Boy, Ronnie was mad, scared, and shaking at the same time and he screamed some censored words and said, "I stepped on a snake." Judy ran and got the gun. "Now turn the outside light on," he said. We didn't see the snake anywhere. I don't blame the snake because I would have hauled tail too with all the racket that was going on. We looked for the snake and finally found him up against the steps leading onto the porch. Ronnie blew up half the porch and the steps shooting at the snake. I said, "Damn, if that snake knew he had that coming tonight, he wouldn't have gotten up this morning." I don't think Ronnie was in a laughing mood because he was still shaking all over. It had scared him so bad he didn't even know if he was wearing shoes or not.

We pulled the snake out from the hole Ronnie had blown him in to see what kind of a snake it was and I almost fainted. It was a cottonmouth water moccasin which is one of the top five "Most Poisonous" snakes in Florida. Boy, Ronnie was sure lucky that night. There were about as many snakes on his property as there were fans he had and that goes way up into the millions.

Gene

Great story Gene, I had images in my mind about You, Ronnie, what the house might have looked like, the humid swampy weather, what the steps looked like.

Most of us hate snakes, and the statement you made about maybe millions of them on the property would make me want to move!

Just curious, was it a Saturday Night Special?

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"The Only Time Im Satisfied is When Im on the Road."

good to see ronnie was exersizing his 2nd amendment right
to KEEP AND BARE ARMS!! [so much for ronnie being totaly
anti firearms as some claim]

he was certainly lucky that night, no doubt! so were you gene,
you could have stayed back with him just a few more seconds
and that snake jumps up and clamps on you!!

to bad he wasnt as lucky on that awful october night in 1977.

but, like they say, " all luck runs out at some point".

HH - (You probably already know this, but maybe some others don't) I beleive that Ronnie was referring to hand guns in particular in "Saturday Night Special", not all guns. As I have heard stories about him having a shotgun on his property and I beleive that old photo of him in the rocking chair with a shotgun across his lap has been posted on this site before.

Down here in Florida you've got to watch where you're walking as there are always snakes about. We have a lot of coral snakes in my area and gators too.

I Can't Change - to answer your question a Saturday Special is or was a cheap small hand gun that was easily acquired at Pawn Shops and such (I beleive).

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"I don't care for fancy music if your shoes can't shuffle around"
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Allen's #1, Fly on Freebird

Damn good thing Ronnie didn't have one of these handy I know I would have used it I hate snakes .
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=170421&ESRC=dod.n

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When you think you know how to ride "LOOK OUT"

Thanks for the story Gene. It is always great to hear about those days. I can't begin to imagine how much you miss your buddy. We all do, but for you it sits so deep none of us could ever comprehend the loss.
As far as Snakes go,..I can only say this.."Snakes scare the Shit out of me" If I was there you'd all have stinky shoes!
Thanks again for the story Gene

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Play it pretty for Atlanta....
Alternate e-mail sheyla_dave@comcast.net

Cool story Gene..

I had to kill a Coral snake a couple years ago when we moved..

and I for one, certainly have no love beyond a zoo, or the Everglades
for cottonmouths or gators..

Also, I agree..firearm ownership, those beautiful Dixie colors, and
Lynyrd Skynyrd all go hand in hand. At least in my opinion...

I LOVE a good fishing story...Don't get me started... HA HA !!

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GREAT story Gene. I would have pitched over dead from a damned heart attack if that had been me!!!!

I hope that Ronnie wasn't barefooted at the time!!!!!!

James

PS - csason, I agree with you 100%! "Also, I agree..firearm ownership, those beautiful Dixie colors, and Lynyrd Skynyrd all go hand in hand. At least in my opinion..." that's how I feel too.

Cool story, thanks for sharing Gene. Guns on your property are one thing, carrying a pistol when you're drinking or gambling.... that's for fools!

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"Play it pretty for London, England!"

http://www.myspace.com/drivesouthmusic

Mickey P.

I know that RVZ and Gary Rossington fished together quite often but how about Allen Collins, does anyone know if he fished also?

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IF I LEAVE HERE TOMORROW WILL YOU STILL REMEMBER ME? I'M AS A FREE AS A BIRD NOW AND THIS BIRD YOU CANNOT CHANGE

FLY ON PROUD BIRD YOU'RE FREE AT LAST

I sure don't know for a fact...I never actually met any of them in person,
except for the man with the funny hats... (Leon) BUT that was on the beach and it was dark...So MAYBE HE had a fishin pole...but those ladies that were with him didn't have any fishin poles...

However, all that being said...

I just remember that LS was a 'Florida' band...and all the kids from here
recognized that. THEY were OUR representatives in the WORLD !!

And what a grand job they did ...

Of course NOW..there is an out an out assault on all things DIxie..

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the FBI was keeping tabs on us...and that dear friends..is a blasphemous shame.

I recall when Sweet Home Alabama was near the top of the charts, and
all those Wisconsin and Michigan 'rebels' were starting to wear cowboy hats and drive pick up trucks..LOL !!

I am just glad that Ronnie and Gene got chances to fish together..and enjoy life on a more simple scale...the road life can be- draining I am sure.

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LMAO Gene I remember you telling me this story in person back on Oct. 21st 1994 up here in IL which makes me LMAO every time cause I have stepped on a snake myself and that da*&%ED thing wrapped it's self around my led and YES I was barefoot as I am uaually. OMG I let out a holler that I think you all heard down in FL! I did not have a gun handy but if I DID I sure would have used it on that garden snake LMAO yep just a garden snake had me hollerin to beat the band yes sir!!!
Love ya, Cheryl AKA FreeBird100CS

Hey Gene:
My IPOD has many Skynyrd songs on it that I listen to just about everyday on the way to work. Your story is somewhat depicted in Cry For The Bad Man or one hell of a coincidence. Check this out

"Well, you treat me right baby, Ill treat you right
Thats the way its supposed to be
I put my faith down in my friend
And he almost put an end to me
Well, when you take my money baby when you hurt my family
I go walkin through the swamps without no shoes
Step on a snake it scares you
Lets cry for this bad man...."

See ya in Jax this fall Gene O

You'd probably have put some lead in your own foot Cheryl. lol



Csason: The Boys had some UK Rebels back in the day too?

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"Play it pretty for London, England!"

http://www.myspace.com/drivesouthmusic

Mickey P.

Yes they DID !!! They were all over..

How many times did I go to a LS concert with those colors flying in the back of a truck ?? Many times in my own..

NOW ?? You'd be pulled over, hangnailed, and charged with a HATE crime

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