Sunday, August 26, 2007

Creepy, Crawly....Flying

True story....

On Thursday, I dropped off my carpool kids. They left the back driver's side door open while they got their backpacks out of the trunk. They thanked me and closed the back door.

As I backed out and put it in drive, Jacob says with much authority, "Stop the car!" Of course, I ask, "Why?" To which, Jacob responds, "There is a HUGE roach in the car!"

That was all he needed to say. I immediately slammed on my brakes and put it in park. I looked behind me and sure enough, there was a HUGE roach on the inside of the back passenger door. I quickly exclaim, "Jacob hurry around and open the door." Looking back, I should have gotten out and opened the door myself, I was closer, but I was not thinking clearly.

Jacob obeys; he gets out and goes around the car. I'm turned around looking at him. I notice that he is sort of 'just standing there'. I see something fly by him and he backs up. Meanwhile, I'm screaming, "Open the door!"

Jacob finally, after what seems like 5 minutes, opens the door and the roach quickly scurries under my seat! Jacob tries to sleuth out the stow-a-way, but to no avail. I decide that it would be better to try to find it while parked in my driveway, so I drive home, the 8 houses, rather quickly.

I decide this would be a great time to clean out the car while trying to get the roach out of my car. I gather the papers and napkins and random other items in the car, but find no roach. I think to myself, Jacob did say that he thought the roach flew out of the car, even though I saw, with my own eyes, that it went under my seat.

Flash forward 2 hours.....

I'm on my way to meet Michael to look at dryers. While I'm driving I have my right arm resting on the arm rest. I'm singing along to something on the Christian radio station. I start feel something crawling up my arm. Keep in mind, I'm driving down the road at 50 mph. I immediately think of the roach and frantically wave my arm and see it fly across the car.

I decide that since I'm close to my destination, I'll look for the roach there. I get out and look for it, while parked in the parking lot. I catch a glimpse of something scurry across the front passenger side floor board. I grab some napkins and try to "capture" (aka squash) the thing. It is much too fast for me and flies up under the dash.

This story really is going on much longer than I expected.......hopefully, you are enjoying it.

Anyway, I go into the store, meet Michael, and look around. (Didn't find anything in my price range...so we left.) I had Michael look around in the car for the sly creature; no luck, it still is an expert at hiding. I'm back on the road, thinking that this thing is going to live in my dash forever. I start picturing me driving Hannah and Jacob around and it comes flying out at us.

I keep looking down at the floorboard. Finally, I see it. I again grab the napkins and try to get it. Meanwhile, I'm again traveling 50 mph down the raod and now I'm swerving to try and kill this thing. Apparently, it was skilled at escaping because it vanished.

I pull into the Publix parking lot and again look for it. I can't find it and go into Publix for a few quick items. On the way out, I decide that since I only have 2 small plastic bags I'll place them in the back seat, instead of the trunk. Turns out that this was Providence! I open the back door and out flies the roach. He quickly sprints under my car. With haste, I fling my groceries in the back seat and slam the door.

While driving home I get so tickled over the events of my afternoon that I laugh out loud. I decide the roach is probably telling his friends that he had the ride of his life and has lived to tell about it. That is, unless he hopped in someone else's car at Publix!

5 comments:

gideonmommasita said...

"sleuth out the stow-a-way" Great line, liked how you personified the roach at the end...the roach is now story telling to his friends. Good Job, and it was a true story, huh? What a day. Was 50 the speed limit? :)

CroppinRobin said...

45 mph was the speed limit. And yep, it was a true story.

Josh said...

LOL! Talk about my writing . . . Emily read your story aloud and it projected against the back of my eyelids like a film. Having such a long visit with you recently really helped me picture your facial expressions. You crack me up.

Michael said...

I would say great story but I hate roaches! I've told Robin hundreds of times that if I had one wish it would be that God never created roaches. I have always hated Florida for that reason. Palmetto Bugs! YUCKY!!!

Melissa said...

I'm luaghing hysterically reading this again!!! If it had been me, I would probably be dead of vehicular collision or heart failure........


2008 is going to be great....
It's the year I'm going to lose weight!