snakes in the grass

i'twas near dark out, but not quite there yet. y'know - when it's done gone pas' twilight, but not really nigh'time. the las' of the lightnin' bugs was settlin' inna th' weeds. we ha'n had much rain, so's all that was growin' 'nymore was th' weeds, not th' grass, an' f'sure not corn nor them soyabeans. som'one didn' care - they'd been out a'mowing nohow - you could smell th' fresh cut oniongrass mixed wi' the dust they'd stirred up. pa said t' come on inside, on account o' th' snakes'd be out soon, but i didn' pay him no mind. me an' the snakes, we un'erstood each other. not t' say we's friends, not 'xactly, but b'twixt us, we had a' 'greement. they'd leave me alone, an' i'd do the same back to them.