Memory Monday: Praying Mantis

It doesn't take a mathematician to know that Girls + Bugs = Freaking out. (In our case, it would be Girls + Bugs = Screaming bloody murder...). But who could blame us, anyway? Here we are, sitting on our tuffets (whatever tuffets may be), minding our own business, when along comes a big, hairy, slimy, bug-eyed creature. Girls and bugs aren't on very good terms, but especially when bugs sneak up on us unexpectedly.

This theory has been proven in our house on several occasions. Like, for instance, the unforgettable "Praying Mantis" incident in the Summer of 2008.

It was a Sunday, and we had just started attending our church. It was a great day, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was talking to people, my sisters were off playing, and some of the little boys found a whole bunch of praying mantises by the church building (of course... where *else* would they go to pray, right?) ;) One of them was a little guy named Andrew, who was about 6 at the time. He was catching them in a coffee cup and covering it with a paper towel. I guess he thought that would be enough to contain it...

We were about to leave, and all my sisters were getting into the car as my mom was talking to Andrew. He was sort of leaning on the passenger seat with the door open. We all loaded up, said our goodbyes, and we were off.

We decided to make a stop at my grandparents' house on the way home. The drive was typical, nothing exciting. We were literally seconds from the driveway, when...

A blood-curdling scream arose from the back seat. Then another... then another... until the air trembled with a myriad of shrieks rising in every direction.

Aaand if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?

At first I wasn't even sure *why* we were screaming. Then it was reported that one of my sisters (who shall remain nameless... ;) felt something crawling on her arm. It was the praying mantis that Andrew was holding earlier! It had somehow landed in our car when Andrew was over there, and made it to the back seat while my mom was driving.

We couldn't find the praying mantis after that. I can almost hear the poor little guy explaining the whole thing at a therapy session:

"After I had been abducted, I found myself in some sort of dark... shuttle-like apparatis. As I tried to make my escape, I landed on the most horrifying creature I'd ever laid eyes on, that made the most ghastly screeching sound I've ever had the misfortune to hear. I was confused and disoriented, then fell onto unknown territory.

...And that's how I lost 60% of my hearing."

Photo Cred:

Screaming blonde

Screaming 50's lady

The Scream painting

Praying Mantis