If you drop a spider off a high building are you killing it or just setting it free?
August 23, 2008 – 10:05 amSpiders seem to be taking over, spreading their webs across every surface and corner of our yard. Every time I turn around I’m flailing to escape their thin, sticky threads.
So it isn’t a surprise when CJ announces, “Mommy, mommy I found a spider in the house!”
I should tell you that I’m not afraid of spiders. They’re little and we’re big and WHAT is there to be afraid of, logically? At the same time I wouldn’t say that I’m exactly a fan.
Efficiency is my primary objective as I pull off a piece of paper towel and advance on the unsuspecting spider.
Make a web in my house, will you?
CJ’s eyes widen as he watches me. He sees my diabolical plan written out in the whites of my eyes. ”Mommy? You’re going to SQUISH the spider and throw it in the garbage?”
“Well, ok. Yeah,” he continues, “We can THROW it in the GARBAGE.”
I pause.
This is not the message that I’ve worked so carefully to communicate.
In fact, just a few days ago I distinctly remember shouting something about DON’T SQUISH THAT BUG BECAUSE IT HAS FEELINGS AND MAYBE EVEN A FAMILY!
And here I am, wreaking deadly violence on this small unsuspecting critter.
I need to take a different approach.
I sigh. “No, I’m not going to squish it or throw it away,” I tell CJ.
Carefully I hold the paper towel underneath the spider so that his legs catch on it. I carry it outside and fling the arachnid interloper across the railing and off our deck. He’s airborne for a moment, before plummeting to the earth below.
I wonder if that spider will die from falling so far, I find myself wondering. Can’t it use it’s thread, spiderman-style, to catch a nearby plant and soften its landing? Or will it smash into the hard concrete and die an instant death?
What do you think?
(deep thoughts here at the Bananas house)
***
If you’re looking for the Weekly Writing prompt, I’ve decided to take this week off from that. Because I couldn’t think of anything and I didn’t feel like it and it’s the last week before school starts and because I can. But never fear, the next one will be a goody… a THEME for the entire month of September. Cheerio!
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By pixie on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
Good question. However, I am a serial killer of spiders, so I am hoping desperately that it would kill them. Don’t worry. I won’t tell.
pixies last blog post..Saturday Survey!
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By texasholly @ June Cleaver Nirvana on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
This is like that question about the chicken or the egg or if a tree falls in a forest but nobody hears….funny.
texasholly @ June Cleaver Nirvanas last blog post..It rained
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By Carrie on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
You can do absolutely ANYTHING to a spider and not offend me.
Go for it!
Carries last blog post..To Croc or Not To Croc (A Little Rant About Clown Shoes)
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By Wendy on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
how about pulling its legs off, one at a time, those little buggers.
Wendys last blog post..Queens rule the runway, Project Runway
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By Kerrie on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
I may not be the best one to ask. My favorite weapon for spider combat is Scrubbing Bubbles or whatever brand of chemical warfare closest to me at the time of attack.
I do know that the big spiders, the kind people keep as pets, can be killed if they fall off of, say, the railing of a deck (because they have a vertebrae). Not that I know anyone who has done that…
Kerries last blog post..Someone Was Thinking About Us
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bananas Reply:
August 25th, 2008 at 9:07 am
a VERTEBRAE? ewwww! for some reason that totally gives me the shivers (and not the good kind!)
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By Still alone, not lonely on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
I am not afraid of spiders but I don’t want them in my house. This year I seem to be overrun with spiders and have been planning on spraying for them. They are so thick in my house that they end up taking a shower with me! I now have the bug spray in the bathroom next to the shower. Now, I just need to take that gallon jug (yes, a gallon jug with a sprayer) and get to spraying inside and out. Gotta get them 8 legged peeping toms outta my house!
Still alone, not lonelys last blog post..What you really need to know
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By Hotomom on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
You crack me up. I HATE spiders. I am so afraid of spiders it’s silly really. I scream like a baby everytime I see one and someday if one touches me I am sure I will pass out. Them dying? Not a problem for me.
Good for you taking the week off. It’s our last week of summer too. Yeah! Ooops I mean Boo.
Hotomoms last blog post..Birthday Celebration Tonight plus some Scattergories
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By Nadine on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
As I am afraid of them, I really could care less if they’re killed. Actually, come to think of it, I prefer them dead.
Nadines last blog post.."You can cook now, mommy"
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By MamaGeek on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
You are DEFINITELY setting it free. Just ask spiderman. And have I ever told you how much I love your blog design and re-designs? You rock. That’s that.
MamaGeeks last blog post..Wise Grasshoppa’s Revenge
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bananas Reply:
August 25th, 2008 at 9:08 am
hey thanks! glad to hear you like the new design. :)
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By Elizabeth Channel on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
Well, spiders are the only creature we kill around here because we are such lovers of insects. Still we are justified with spiders!
Ever since one crawled in a 2-year-old’s pull up and bit his “privacy” and we spent two nights in the hospital.
That was not fun!
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bananas Reply:
August 25th, 2008 at 9:08 am
ok THAT is seriously horrifying. Ugh.
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By Liza on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
So far we’ve been able to keep them out of the house, but I’m really getting sick of having the yard be bobby-trapped with webs. You can’t take a step without getting caught - I can only imagine what the spider’s thinking, “Supper for a year!”
As for the spider’s plummet, I’m quite certain that in the few seconds between paper-towel launchage and death-splat, she had plenty of time to spin up a nice little parachute. She’s fine. And she’s spinning a web right now, on that same deck, just waiting for you, to take her revenge.
Lizas last blog post..The case against boobs
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By Kateanon on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
You’re better than me. I try not to project my spider fear onto any nearby children, but in my head, I think “die monster spider die!”
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By marye on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
I believe, as a long time homeschooling mom, that the fact of the matter is….
Spiders are like cats..they always land on their feet…I am sure of it.
:D
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By that girl on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
I think it transformed into a beautiful butterfly and flew off to nirvana.
Or died.
that girls last blog post..Linky Love You: Whatever
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By Heidi on Aug 24, 2008 | Reply
If you throw a spider off a a building can we still drink like it was five o’clock somewhere? Cause after “catching” a spider I need a drink. Gross.
Heidis last blog post..a letter to my much younger self
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bananas Reply:
August 25th, 2008 at 9:09 am
hee hee
that IS the question.
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By Jakki on Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
I am known to NOT be scared of many things but one thing I am scared of is spiders. I have been known to go into my basement, see one and leave it the heck alone…will even say ‘hey, I wont mess with you if YOU wont mess with me’. So…suffice it to say as long as it was away from me, I’m good.
Jakkis last blog post..
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By pixie on Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
By the way, bloggy admiration coming your way in the form of a Diamond Award!
http://epixstix.blogspot.com/2008/08/you-love-me-you-really-love-me.html
I love your blog and I think you deserve an award!
pixies last blog post..You Love Me! You Really Love Me!
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By Katia / Crazy For Trying on Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
I don’t think it will die. I’m trying to remember back to high school physics class, but I think every object has a “terminal velocity” — something to do with the surface area/weight/rate of fall/etc. So, my VERY NAIVE guess is that since a spider doesn’t weigh very much that it probably won’t hurtle towards the earth at a great speed (low terminal velocity)… so it probably won’t die.
ok, I’m a total geek.
Katia / Crazy For Tryings last blog post..she’s too smart for my good
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bananas Reply:
August 25th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Ok you win the SMARTEST COMMENTER award for the week … or maybe even the WHOLE YEAR.
By the way, Jay says you’re right. And he *thinks* he knows a lot of stuff.
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Katia / Crazy For Trying Reply:
August 25th, 2008 at 9:51 am
oh, tee hee. Now if only I had paid more attention in chemistry class, too, then I could have been a brilliant scientist or smthg.
Katia / Crazy For Tryings last blog post..she’s too smart for my good
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By Heather on Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
Not only didn’t you squish the spider, you gave him a free ride. He should be thanking you. ‘Cause if it was me, that spider would have been squished and flushed.
Heathers last blog post..A Lesson in Diversity
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