Meet Alex.  He is a second-generation taxidermist and a really nice guy.  He gave us a tour of his family’s taxidermy studio, Martinez Brothers, on South Lamar in Austin.

You’re wondering why I told Banjo Man and Son #2 to stop at a taxidermist shop, aren’t you?  Aside from that one time when Retired Mountain Lady and I skinned a deer together, I’ve dealt with no animal hides (and no, neither one of us has any pictures of that night, so don’t get your hopes up).

But, thanks to my brother-in-law (aka GL/Steel Guitar Man), I do have a stuffed cobra.  A stuffed spitting cobra.

I’d hoped that there was a big need for cobra skin in Austin.  You know, for boots and belts and hatbands.  Because I don’t want this cobra anymore.

Alex very politely offered to look at it, with a possibility of consigning it–he said you never know when someone will drop in and want a stuffed snake–but shipping it to Texas would cost a small fortune.  I thought I’d try to sell it on ebay or Craigslist first.

We loved our visit to the Martinez Brothers shop, thanks to Alex, who is deservedly proud of what his family has built.

I am still yearning for these boots.  I guess I should have asked Alex if he’d trade them for a cobra.  I have a feeling he would have said no, though.

Darn.