Saturday night my daughter Meg came by. I was to photograph her for a passport and she hung around for the evening--a rarity. She told us (my friend Daniel was there) that she pulled into her garage the other night and saw by the headlights, scattered on the walls were palmetto bugs. Water bugs some call them. Roaches--huge black ones, 2-3 inches in size usually. And they fly. Right at you. If you haven't spent time in the south, you may not be familiar with these demons from hell, I call them. My daughters have inherited my horror of them. She counted 11 of them (I am shuddering in disgust as I imagine it).
Her boyfriend was at the kitchen door, welcoming her home. But she refused, almost in tears, to get out of the car, knowing they would fly at her. They always do, she says. Despite his reassurances, she would not budge. He gesticulated--hold on, I'll be right back. He reappeared momentarily with a rifle. What? she thought, he's going to shoot them? It was an air rifle. He pumped the thing and proceeded to blast every *&*^%$&%$#^@#^^ demon to pieces, and Meg was able to leave the car.
"Marry that man, Meg," I commanded her.
"Tea Time 3" is my last in the Tea Time series. It's a 10x12 pastel, available for auction. Just click on the title of this blog and it'll take you to ebay.
OMG! that was so funny! living in the south (recently) I hate those things myself! they don't run from you - they'd rather stay and fight! beautiful, beautiful artwork!!
ReplyDeleteSo funny! I'm cringing myself - having lived in SC for awhile I am all too familiar with those demons. You could hear them being run over in the road (crunch crunch) there were so many of them in Charleston.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed! She should MARRY him!! :-)
Love this story! And your painting as always. I too have a horror of palmetto bugs! And they do fly at you!!! Thanks for the laugh this morning!
ReplyDeleteYup, in Texas we say they're so big you kin throw a saddle over them! Funny story, gorgeous painting.
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy seeing your paintings!But this story- can one laugh out loud and get the chills at the same time? I lived in Charleston for several years & have my own story of being introduced to those freakish bugs- walking down King St one night after a lovely dinner out with hubby, one of those things flew up & hit me right in the chest! ACK!!! (now visualize the screaming & running like a maniac on a dark street in the city)! Air rifle? who woulda thought? I'll be laughing at this story all day!
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