Snails are frown upon by the public. Especially the brown garden snail. They name it killer-snail and whatnot. The hysterics even believe they can win the battle against these rugged creatures, and goes for attack, armed with salt and water. What they don’t realize, is that you can win one battle but still lose the war. These buggers can lay four hundred eggs in a short timespan, and thus multiply every season. I’ve seen piles of carcasses on engaging news reports, but they keep coming. They just keep coming.

It’s true that those brown lumps were fewer in numbers in the good old days. Then we mostly saw the black ones, or at least I did. I photographed this little fella a few years ago, on my way to the groceries. It’s glance into the abyss intrigued me. Was it fleeing from someone? A lady armed with a bucket and salt? Or was it simply waiting for its spouse or pal? I asked the snail, but it refused to comment. At least I don’t hate them, as long as they don’t enter my carpet.