Words of Wisdom

Youth is wasted on the young.

Tuesday 16 October 2007

Arachnaphobia

This one is totally for you Brittany.

Last night I snuck off to bed a little later than Himself and had to feel my way around in the dark looking for the alarm clock which needed resetting. (no, it didn't go off this morning...why does that always happen when you set the alarm in the dark?)

Anyway, after stumbling about a bit, getting the clock sorted (supposedly) I snuggled down and gave that big sigh you give when you finally make it to bed and its where you would rather spend the next day than getting up and going to work. After a few seconds I felt a tickle on my arm, under the covers. Scratching and brushing at it I encountered more substance than I would normally feel from a piece of hair, thread or fluff. Panic sets in, I snatch and claw at the offending tickle, waking Himself up in the process.

"What on earth is the matter?"
"There's something in the bed...I think it was crawly."
"Was it on your side?"
"Yes.."
"Good."
"Can I please turn on the light and check what's happened to it?" (actually this was not so much a question as a warning that I was about to blind him)

Initial investigations seemed clear and then I threw back the covers and, crumpled in between the sideboard (we have a waterbed) and the mattress, was the crushed body of a daddy long legs spider!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And quite a big one!!! I felt no pity. I felt no remorse. I felt only REVULSION and the sickening knowledge that moments ago it had been crawling on my ARM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am still shivering with the thought. Himself helpfully suggested that I had probably brought it to bed with me as they do not normally head under the covers. A comforting thought.... NOT. I managed to flick it out of the bed and then performed a thorough search for any of its mates.
It could have been worse I suppose. It could have been a house spider. (big, black and ugly...nassssty bite)

Himself went back to sleep to the steady rhythm of my convulsions of disgust. (shudder of horror)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is so creepy. Now I'm going to be checking under the covers before I get in. You know, just in case what happened to you in Australia somehow mysteriously duplicates itself here in Illinois

Brittany said...

EW EW EW EW EW EW !! I would have stayed awake for hours, thinking about it. I have to admi I always look under the covers, before pulling them up over top of me, just for that very reason. Ew ew ew... I am all itchy now. haha.

Blueberry said...

i know you didn't think it was funny BUT it makes for a very humorous story! :)

Christina said...

ACK!!! I actually don't mind Daddy Long legs...we used to play with them as kids. Still, I don't want ANY little critter crawling on me in the dark in my bed. ugh!

Cari said...

oooooo. That story gives me the heebie jeebies! Glad you got it out of there and didn't find any mates!!!

kim said...

AAAaaaahhhh! I, too, extremely dislike spiders! Who doesn't? I don't really mind them outside, but they are not allowed in the house, no matter how small. I just try not to freak too much because I don't want Lauren to grow up with my irrational fear of spiders.