I grew up in San Leandro, but as I’ve grown up, my childhood experiences with snails leaves me a little bewildered as to what I will find waiting for me. I tell my kids hundreds of snails will be waiting in heaven for me.
One time I gathered a bunch of them and stuck them in water color paint. As they tried to escape, they left a colorful trail, rather messy but artistic. Anyway, I remember my mom working in the garden and coming in saying, “I saw the most unusual thing in the garden, and the snails were leaving different colored trails!”
Even today, I gather them out of my artichokes and off the grass where they go at night to cool off from a hot day, and place them in our recycle bin. Of course, as time goes by, I check on them and let a few go at a time. I hope I never grow up.

-Al Teixeira

Hayward