Tuesday, September 18, 2007

A Slip Into Irrationality

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I utterly loathe spiders. I cannot understand how I can be a fairly rational person most* of the time, and yet one tiny little incident with a spider can spiral me into out-of-control panic. During my shower today, I turned from the spray of water to face the hideousness of four pairs of legs crawling across the top of the shower ledge. EEEEEEEEEK! Panic set in and I could do nothing but cower across the shower as far as I could, screeching, while still trying to finish washing so I could leave the shower as soon as possible. Poor Drew came into the bathroom nonplussed and looking to defend his mama from this thing that made me scream, but he couldn't see the spider. He once saw mama screeching while battling a spider on the floor, and he bravely tried to run at it for me, but really didn't know what else to do. The worst moment was when the spider disappeared over the ledge and I could no longer keep track of its whereabouts, while still suffering the knowledge that it was there, somewhere. I ran to pull on clothes and grabbed the bottle of Raid, only to discover that there is a hole on top of the ledge where the spider presumably came from. Oh God, a Nest! I thought. I sprayed it liberally, not feeling guilty about killing any lurking creatures. I'm not normally a violent person, but I do not believe in letting spiders live so the horrid creatures can procreate and hide in my home. Eurgh. It gives me the willies just thinking about it. I realize my fear is irrational and that they are much smaller than me. (But you see, that's what's scary - they could sneakily crawl up onto me without me realizing it!) I've always refused to take kindly to them, even with the very charming Charlotte's Web attempt, I always knew they were evil (eight eyes! eight legs!) and someone upstairs made a mistake in creating them. Now I must spend the next few hours waiting for husband to come home and make it better while I itch involuntarily.

*Excepting the few circumstances where I worry about the silliest things such as the future, my writing, etc, etc.

3 comments:

Jenny Beattie said...

I'm right with you there, Angie. It upsets me rather just reading about your experience...
JJx

Rebecca said...

I agree, Angie, they are horrid, horrid, creepy, horrid, hairy-legged, useless, horrid, horrid creatures and the world would be better off without them.

Spray away!

Angie said...

JJ, hope I didn't upset you too much, I refrained from posting any beastly pictures so as not to frighten the other arachnophobes.

Rebecca, they really are horrid creatures and I can't think why we need them (all the "keeps other insects in check" arguments hit deaf ears here). I'm watching that hole like a hawk with Raid in hand!