What I didn't do....

I asked Dr. Lovely Daughter why me? Why do these things happen to me?  She answered that these things happen to me so that I can write about them.

I say no thank you!
Okay, here’s my story.
I was shopping at a store where they sell name brand clothing for less, of which, I will omit the name because of what I didn’t do.

Clearance racks call my name when I enter stores. “Psst, I’m over here,” they taunt with winking eyes. But staying in control, I visited the purse section first, THEN answered the call of the clearance scarf and belt rack.  There were lots of beautiful scarves and I handled them, flipping this one here, parting others to see those in the back. It was during one of those partings that it happened; I felt something scratchy, something not right with my hand. I wasted no time in pulling my hand back from the mass of scarves to see a huge beetle clinging to my hand. It took everything in me not to scream, but I did flick the approximately two and a half inch by one inch beetle (including legs) to the floor.
Remember that I live in a rural area? I’ve seen many beetles, but I’ve never seen a beetle like this. Now back to my story.

There it sat on the floor, a shiny green and tan bug with a flat body, a cross between a “June” bug and (let’s say) a "stink" bug, teetering on beetle legs to face me.  
What did I do?

a.       Step on it with my fancy flip-flop with a chance it might jump on my foot?

b.      Step on it and risk everyone hearing the humongous crunch it would cause and after seeing the mess make me clean it up?

c.      Tell the store manager that there is a prehistoric beetle sitting on the floor, big enough to eat all of Springfield, and I don’t know how it got there?

d.      Scoop it up and take it outside, to save the other patrons from the eww factor and save its life?

e.       None of the above
If you chose “e.” you are correct. I did none of the above. Instead I walked away like nothing happened while obsessively rubbing the creepiness off my hand and onto my jeans while keeping my eye on the bug as it watched me. I vowed never to touch another clothing clearance rack again. Never.  I doubt if I keep that promise.

Do you ever put "your life" in your writing? Does Murphy bug you like he bugs me? What would you have done?

Comments

JoJo said…
I would have screeched 'GET IT OFF ME!' So loud that everyone in a 6 mile radius of that store would've heard me. lol I probably wouldn't have squished him either though...gross....not a bug that size. *shudder* The other night I was taking pics of the moon and a ginormous june bug buzzed past my ear close enough that it sounded like a jet engine. OK maybe not THAT loud but I was icked out for a good hour afterwards.
What are the odds that would ever happen again though? A giant beetle would be the last thing I would expect.
I think the biggest beetle I ever saw was one of those rhino beetles. He was over three inches long.
JoJo, I may be country, but I REALLY don't like insects much with the exceptions of: butterflies and pray mantis's

Alex, I know right? Even though I know it won't happen again to me, what if????
Mason Canyon said…
I live in the country too and am not that afraid of bugs, but in that circumstance I probably would have yelled. Makes you wonder where the clothes have been.
I go straight to the back of the store to the clearance section, too! That's usually when the store staff stops trying to help me. :) As to your story--that would have scared me to death because it was SO unexpected. If it had been outdoors, that would have been one thing. I think I'd have flung it off, made a muffled scream, and then would have also pretended nothing happened. :) But yes! Write about it! Put it in a story.
Jemi Fraser said…
Yikes! I probably would have done the same thing :)
I'm going to be very leery at my next clearance rack!!
Pat Hatt said…
Wow, that is one big beetle haha I'd walk away too, let it go about its business and bother someone else
klahanie said…
Hi Teresa,

I would of chosen your option number four, I state convincingly. I stay well away from reduced sections in stores. Especially the reduced section in the supermarket. I value my life :)

Still, that a bigger beetle than I've ever seen in England. My life is always in my writing. Sometimes the underlying meaning can be subjected to interpretation.

Thank you for commenting on my blog. Greatly appreciated.

Gary :)
Unknown said…
Sadly, I would have done E too. I would have just walked away from the creepiness.
cleemckenzie said…
I have put moments of my life into my stories, unfortunately, my husband notices and corrects the details that he knows are wrong. He's not a writer, so he just doesn't "get" how you must tweak reality to make it work in fiction. Great beetle story. I find them fascinating, so I would have taken him outside and found a plant for him to munch.
Nick Wilford said…
I think it's a one off event, maybe it came over in a crate like a spider in bananas. When I was six a stag beetle landed on my neck (about three inches long with its antler-like antennae) and I screamed until my dad picked it off. Nothing similar has happened since! A story could go in a lot of directions with the options you listed, too.
Liza said…
Your better than me. I would have out and out hollered!
Carol Kilgore said…
I want to go take a shower now. Eeewwwwww. You're a better person than I am. I'm sure I would've made some kind of sound when I saw it and then looked like I was having a seizure while I tried to shake it off. Then I would have moved away like you.
Hi Teresa .. I think I'd have gathered it up and put it outside ... but that's me - however I'd have been surprised too - doubt I'd have yelled out, but might have done ... I'm just glad you didn't squish it ...

Oh dear - another episode to life ... glad you're safe though .. cheers Hilary
Stephanie Faris said…
Yikes! I know a lot of people who are VERY against killing bugs if that makes you feel any better. They will preserve them at all costs because they deserve life. I'm not big on killing bugs, but that's just because they freak me out and I don't want to hear the crunch under my shoe.
Lynn Proctor said…
now i am gonna swish through the racks before i actually take anything out :)
Donna K. Weaver said…
Eww *shudder* Now I feel like I need to go take a shower. So visual.
Unknown said…
I would have done the same thing, and if I heard a crunch from behind, I would have made a run for it. Haha. I try to steer clear of ginormous insects whenever I can.
Mary Aalgaard said…
I would have shrieked and run out of the store. I would hesitate before touching another clearance rack, or send my sister in first.

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