Stop Bugging Me

I will never quite understand all the reasons and purposes for bugs and creatures...I know, I know it is all part of the food web...but really?? The other day while dusting by the windowsill, I noticed little specks of dust that appeared to be moving. They were moving. As I looked at all the many specks that were moving, I had to wonder what their difference in this great big universe they would make.Worms, spiders, ants, mosquitos...why do they have to be so darn creepy?

I remember waking up in the middle of the night. There upon my chest was a daddy long leg crawling towards my face. What if I had not awakened? Would it have found it's spindley legs in my mouth.

Would it have crawled into my hair and layed spider eggs? Gee for that matter, I wonder how many spiders I have eaten in the night. It made going to sleep at night a little unnerving.

Some of the creepiest fluttering things were moths. Attracted to the light, summer evenings on the patio meant a company of moths. Something silvery about their wings would leave a shine behind. I can still see Michelle in our bedroom trying to get up the courage to kill a moth on the closet door. There would be no sleeping with that thing alive.

One evening, I was playing with the Beck girls. Mom was at home making carameled apples.

She promised to let us know the moment they were ready. Sure enough, mom stepped out on the front step and called, "Girls, the caramel apples are ready!" I was not going to wait. I high tailed it towards home..running down the street. I was excited and squealing with my mouth wide open. It was a summer evening and the bugs were out. I felt something hit the back of my throat with force. It gagged me, it choked me and I was forced to cough it up and out. There in my hand was the remains of a big gray moth. It sent the bijibbers down my spine. I couldn't bear the thought that part of that moth went down my throat. I was literally having butterflies in my tummy. Needless to say, I completely lost my appetite for the carameled apples.

There was the supposed to be great but innocently frightening trip to Seattle with my grandparents. My family and grandparents stayed with grandpa's sister. It was a strange home and they were strange people to me. A big group went into town. It would be the perfect time for me to shower and get cleaned up and ready for bed. I went into the bathroom and there bumping from light to light and mirrior to mirror was the biggest ugliest moth. It made my stomach curdle. I tried to keep my eyes on it at all times so as not to be taken by surprise. As soon as I went to the bathroom, I would have my dad come kill the moth for me.

I went to sit down on the toilet. I felt this awful flutter against my behind. I had trapped that doggone moth in the toilet when I sat down. Quickly, I jumped up and off the toilet. I didn't even care that my pants were not all the way up. I flew out of there faster than that moth could ever fly. That would set the tone for the rest of this creepy trip.

I wish I could say that the previous were the only disturbing, hair raising stories about bugs. They have been up my nose, in my food, smothered on windshields, crawling, creeping, biting, stinging...
Brigham Young University had a long weeked. A friend of mine had mentioned that she had never been to Jackson Hole. I do not have fingers and toes enough to count the numerous times that I had been there. I felt confident that I could be the perfect tour guide. We would leave on Friday and stay in Idaho Falls at my home.  Then arise early the following morning and make way to Jackson Hole. Azure blue skies complimented the vibrant colors of autumn leaves. The air was crisp and so it was only natural that we breathe it all in. Our windows were rolled down and the wind blew through our hair (a bit too loud for good conversation). I was in college which meant going a bit over the speed limit was the expected. With a smile on my face we continued in the direction of our destination...I pictured a glamorous self driving the coast to meet up wit a handsome gent...kind of like the movies. My vision came to an abrupt halt all of the sudden I felt this sharp piercing thud against my forehead and drop into my lap? Surely a passing vehicle had kicked up a rock? a piece of glass? My friend saw in and we both heard it. There upon my lap was a huge, black, very dead fly. Of course I freaked, but for whatever the reason, felt embarrassment. How could my forehead be the means for killing a fly? I also had to remind myself that my forehead hit that fly at 65 plus miles per hour. I peered in the mirror...not to see glamour, but fly guts.

Just a little food for thought...I was taking my dog Da Vinci out to do his duty. There on every pile of poop were flies crawling. Absolutely sinister !!!