Suburdan friend

In several regions around the world, people have learned the hard way that the most ordinary part of daily life can hide a deadly surprise. It sounds absurd—almost like an urban legend parents tell kids to make them flush properly—but snake attacks in bathrooms are very real, and far more common than most people want…

Many years ago, my wife and I were driving home late at night when our car broke down in a remote area. With no cell phones at the time, we were stranded until a college student stopped and offered us a ride into town. When we tried to pay him, he simply smiled and said,…