The Tale of Seamus the Snail | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

The Tale of Seamus the Snail

My Three-Day Pet

20
The Tale of Seamus the Snail
The Narcissistic Expert Diaries: From Iowa to Ireland

So I was walking along the street last week, admiring all the lovely little crawly shells dotting the wall running alongside my right. Of all the reasons to love Ireland, the fact that it is swarming with snails is my favorite! Everywhere I walk, there are snails sloooowlyyy crawling along the stone walls seperating the houses from the sidewalk. Their shells are so shiny and pretty, and their little antennae wave as I pass them by.

I like having plants and a pet in my room - at Wheaton, my roommate and I have multiple flowering plants and a beta fish named Buzz Lightyear (that we rescued from certain toilet-based death). I was feeling a little lonely in my room at UCC so within the first couple weeks I bought a little succulent at Tesco to brighten my room. I ended up being gifted another little succulent (from Lidl) later on. Since my plants are relatively low-maintenance I only need to water them maybe once a week. Two is a sufficient number of plants though, so I didn't want to buy any more.

Then I realized I wanted a pet.

I was walking with my friend down the street and spotted the cutest little snail, with a spiral black-and-beige striped shell. I made an impulse decision:

I wrapped his little snail self into a leaf and carried him home to my room. I named him Seamus (I am in Ireland after all) and filled a jar with rocks, leaves, moss and a climbing stick so he could play. That first night he mostly just stayed in his shell, too afraid and probably shocked from his kidnapping.

The next day he came out of his shell (ha) and was a little more active. He crawled around on the leaves and up the stick a little. Due to his sudden sprightliness, I was a little afraid to leave him all night with an uncovered jar, but I did anyway. My friend (Seamus' adopted father) said "If he escapes more than once, you gotta let him go."

I woke up and frantically searched my windowsill and his jar before realizing he was hiding in the curl of a dead leaf. I breathed a sigh of relief and went about my day, exploring Cork and going to my class. Seamus wasn't as active as he was the day before, so I wasn't worried about leaving him while I went to sleep.

The next morning, he escaped his jar prison and ran away to park himself onto my window glass. I was astounded at this act of rebellion. I plucked him off the glass and gently plopped him back into his jar. That evening, I brought the jar onto my desk and Seamus crawled out in the middle of another escape plan, but paused at the edge of the jar to watch half an episode of "Archer" with me. It was the best thing that's happened all week.


Unfortunately, great things do come to an end, and I had to release Seamus back into the wild. I'd rather have him as a companion for a couple days and enjoy that time instead of him dying whilst under my care. I left him a grape and his climbing stick, and when I went back to check on him after recycling his playpen he had left a very nice snail poop all over the grape. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

2686
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

449212
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

21531
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

44552
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments