We pulled up at a red light. From the back seat of the small, two-door car, I glanced out the window and noticed a peculiar-looking leaf on the ground. I realized that the leaf was actually a praying mantis as it flew off, only to make a wide turn and head straight for our car.
It came in through the open front window and landed on my college-age friend sitting shotgun. He swatted and sent the bug toward the back seat, where I was sitting with another friend. I picked up a book from the back seat and prepared to swat the beast toward the open window.
In the meantime, the light had changed and my friends’ mother hit the gas and sped down the road. There I was, bumping around in a speeding car trying to swat a praying mantis with my friends flailing around me. I prepared to whack the bug when my friends’ mom sharply turned onto a side street and slammed on the brakes. She tore open her door and leaped out. My friends and I quickly followed. After a few seconds the mantis flew out of the car.
Two high school boys, a college kid and a mom afraid of a little bug. Here’s the best part: We were coming home from seeing the movie “Batman.” Batman learned to conquer his fears, but we sure didn’t!
