monroe

when my mother was pregnant with me, she and my father discovered that they were sharing their modest abode with a rather large spider. my mom first found him when she was sitting down to use the toilet. she was startled (and understandably so), but shook her head and told herself, "that ronnie sure is a kidder, putting that big rubber spider on the toilet to scare little ol' pregnant me."

then it moved.

i've been told that they tried repeatedly to kill the thing, but no matter how often they smacked him with newspapers and shoes, he'd shake it off and keep turning up around the house. finally they gave in and named him monroe. my first pet, i guess.

outside my building right now there's a largish spider dangling on the window outside our entrance. he's there every night in the same spot, and is gone come morning (or afternoon). i'm not comfortable with spiders, and they give me the hibbly jibblies (this one included)...but there's something that's nice and....stable...about how he's there every night. i can count on him. i wonder what he'll do this winter.

maybe i should put monroe jr. out of his misery. raid should do the trick. the question is...will i? dare i? probably not. i'd miss him if he were gone.