Prodigal Serpent Returns

Phineas, the corn snake, is back in his cage at Central Valley High School.

“The prodigal serpent has come home,” said Nels Pitotti, science teacher at CV and one of biology’s great punsters.

Monday evening, the four-foot Phineas slithered out from a sink cabinet in Pitotti’s classroom.

On the lam since the weekend of Oct. 10-11, the snake was cold and thirsty. But not hungry. “We have some mice in our classroom.”

Phineas was treated to a nice cup of hot water - to warm him up - and put to bed. The next morning, he ate a delicious breakfast: “Chocolate-covered mouse.” Yum.

Did he eat two? “No, he’s what I call a light eater. You turn on the light and he starts eating.”

Central Valley students have a number of theories on why Phineas fled. Under the guidance of Pitotti, they will test their hypotheses.

Pitotti reluctantly leaked one of the theories:

“He wanted to go to the homecoming dance, but his father wouldn’t let him. So he ran away from home.”

, DataTimes