Gross! It's called a cicada and they're about 2 - 2 1/2 inches long. They're all over out here. They're loud, and they fly, and Jason says they're not too bright, so they're always running into things while they're flying. He says at the height of cicada season, its very loud because you can hear them chirping and flying into things. Cicada season must me getting close because I've been seeing them all over! The other day Jason and I passed by one while we were playing with Barklee in the park. Jason, being a boy, thought it would be cool to pick it up. Lucky for him, he didn't try taunting me with it. I've told him before that I would NOT find that funny at all, and he would pay dearly if he ever tried to tease me with a bug or insect.
But back to today: I didn't notice the cicada on the rail until I was right next to it, almost ready to put my hand right on it. I saw it and immediately stopped in my tracks. Something you need to know about me is that I absolutely hate insects that fly and/or jump, no matter how harmless they may be. Moths, grasshoppers, bees, hornets, dragonflies, June/Japanese beetles, etc. So you can understand how I would feel with one of these flying around me. I hurried past the cicada and it didn't move. It must have been sleeping, but I wasn't taking any chances. I ran by it on the other side of the staircase, and then I was free. We were down on the grass for a few minutes, Barklee did her thing, and then it was time to pass the cicada again. I was hoping it had flown away, but when we reached the stairs, I saw that it was still there.
I moved up a few stairs, going slowly, so as not to disturb the cicada. Meanwhile, Barklee was running up and down the stairs, stopping right underneath where the cicada was sitting, and it wasn't moving, but I still wasn't sure about it. I took it one step at a time, sliding as far to the other side of the stairs as I could. It didn't move. I got a good look at the big, ugly bug. It looked as if it were just sitting there, taunting me, waiting for the perfect time to jump up and fly at me! I continued moving up the stairs, keeping an eye on the cicada, watching for any sign that it was about to move.
The cicada was positioned in such a way that I had to pass it twice, once on the first set of stairs, and then I had to turn around and pass it again as I made my way up the next level of stairs. Luckily, I was able to sneak passed the bug again, then I bolted up the remaining stairs, and through my apartment door. Whew! The ordeal was over. I had beaten the cicada.
However, a couple nights ago I was trying to sleep and one of them was sitting on the light post outside my bedroom window. It chirped and chirped and chirped. Imagine a cricket x 10. It would chirp for maybe 5 minutes and then stop for a moment, and whenever it stopped, I could hear my ears ringing, that's how loud it was. After a little while I got so sick of it, that I took a water gun and tried spraying the bug so it would leave. At first, I thought it was working, because the cicada stopped. I closed the window, got back into bed and then ... yep, you guessed it, it started up again as soon as I had just gotten comfortable in bed. I tried the water gun again, but it didn't work the second time, so I gave up and tried to go to sleep. Eventually it flew away, but not before it kept me up for about an hour.
So for now I guess the score remains tied: Sharla 1, Cicadas 1.
We'll meet again, cicada, and next time, I'll be ... well, I'll be just as afraid of you, so, maybe just stay away from me. At least for a few days to give me time to recover.
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