Close Encounter

I had a horrible encounter last evening when Eric and I decided to take a dip in the pool.  We had been swimming for about 20mins when I decided to pick up a float/kickboard off the edge of the pool to swim with.  As soon as the board hit the water I realized I was being chased.  Yes chased.  By This:

AAAACK!!!  I started screaming and flailing around, trying to splash it so it would go the other way.  Somehow I made it to the side of the pool and jumped up on the side in one swift movement--so much for being sore from playing softball.   Eric was on the other side of the pool and by the time I made it out of the pool (which was probably seconds but felt like several minutes to me) had made it over to the side I was on.  He came to my rescue and killed the intruder, who looked more like this in real life:

Yes that is a twist tie (like the one that comes on a loaf of bread).  You can stop laughing at me now.

Considering he was about the size of hand from head to tail, I am sure the snake was as scared if not more scared than I was, but I was not about to have him in our pool.  This was our first snake. We have had lots of frogs (dead and alive) and even a cute baby turtle.  I hope that this is our first and LAST snake.  I am just glad it was a little one.