It was the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1973.  The infamous spillways in Louisiana were opened.  Millions fled the rising waters.  I covered the flood daily for WMC-TV in Memphis.  One day photographer Bernie Mintz and I went hunting for yet another flood story.  We drove into the state of Mississippi and off the main highways.  As we drove down one road the pavement disappeared into the flood.  Bernie stopped the car at the water's edge.  I opened the passenger-side door and, while looking at Bernie, I slipped my right leg out and touched my right shoe to the "ground."  I said out loud:  "Boy it feels slick and muddy here."  I then looked down, and, as Indiana Jones said once in a movie:  "Snakes.  Why does it have to be snakes!!!"
Under my foot, forced out of the flood, were hundreds of snakes.
I've had an indoor job ever since.