That was a different and far funnier story than I expected. I was thinking the second snake you grabbed was going to be far less pleasant than a garter snake.
I was about 12 years old, camping in Pennsylvania with the Boy Scouts when I saw a snake flare up like a cobra and start a striking motion.
Not sure why I was not afraid of it, but I walked over and picked it up. It was about 4-5 feet long. Funny thing, it would roll over on its back and play dead. If I rolled it over upright, it would roll over again and play dead.
It was a Hog Nosed snake. First one I had ever heard of or seen. Kept it as a pet for over a year, letting it go on our farm. Have never seen another one.