What next? Rabid cockroaches?

So, one of the drawbacks of living on Okinawa is that it seems danger is lurking around every corner. Deadly snails, venomous snakes on land and underwater, treacherous cliffs, crazy drivers. The works. Well, this would be a drawback to normal, sane folk who prefer to exist in relative safety. For idiots like us, it just makes every day an adventure.

Some of the dangers are fairly obvious and very avoidable. Leave the snails alone, and they probably won't sting you. Don't piss off the snakes or go tromping through the underbrush, and the habu will leave you alone. There hasn't been a verified report of a cliff attacking a human since 1972, and even that story is questionable (it's said that the cliff was provoked; eyewitness accounts contradict each other).

However, some of the treacherous aspects of Okinawa are a bit less obvious. Just today, I learned that certain death can occur in the most unlikely of places.

Are you ready for this?

It's terrifying, so if you are faint of heart or a wuss, view the picture with your eyes closed...

Here it is...


Yes. Coke machines.

The machines themselves are not prone to violence unless provoked, but it turns out that the habu (basically rattlesnakes sans rattles) are attracted to the machines because they're cool. (Cool in terms of temperature, not badassness)

They get into the tray where your soda is dispensed and go to sleep. Now, habu are aggressive enough when confronted by humans...but I can imagine that even the most docile snake would be mildly pissed off after being awakened by an ice cold can of Coke falling on its head.

Folks, I swear to you, I am not making this up. I am being completely honest when I say, to paraphrase Samuel L. Jackson:

There's motherfuckin' snakes in mah motherfuckin' Coke machines!