Inspecting Suspects

Part of Texas’ charm lies, to some degree, in its insanely diverse and bizarre bug population. I suppose this statement is purely subjective; I know an equal number of folks who think this fact is amusing and of people who think this fact is a nuisance. But it’s not a question of “half-empty” or “half-full,” but a matter of survival. Because when you pass things each day like, say, rat-sized tarantula wasps dragging impaled tarantulas across the road (and turning their heads to INSPECT you as you cross paths), it’s all about how you can handle the situation:

You could run, for instance, but this might make you attractive to such an aggressive predatory insect. This might also attract all the wandering ankle-biting neighborhood Cujos.

Or you could stand there, frozen like a deer, and hope that you might blend into the asphalt and surrounding trees. But the problem with that is the wasp might decide to fly over and hang out on your shoulder with its paralyzed tarantuala buddy before it decides to lay its EGGS in the abdomen of the totally doomed arachnid.

Don’t forget that you could also be hit by a truck rounding the corner while you stand there staring at the natural beauty.

Better yet, you could raise an eyebrow and whip out your Super Soaker (that you carry in the baby jogger when out for neighborhood walks, you know, for those roaming Cujos). But wouldn’t THAT just stir things up?

YEE HAW!