👀 Arachnophobia no more

#222 | Charlotte is a fairy tale

Hi there,

I am not usually scared of much, but I have a hate-hate relationship with spiders. I hate them all. Even the itsy-bitsy-dainty ones give me the heebie-jeebies. I'm not proud to admit it, but I've been known to jump and scream like a Dementor when I see one. 

A while ago, driving down the highway, I noticed a spider crawling up the inside of my windshield. Usually, this would be my cue to run out of whichever space I found myself in... screaming. But here I was, driving in the middle of nowhere, just me and this horrible creation of God. So I took a deep breath (shouting myself hoarse on the inside), eased my seat back as far as I could and pulled up at the first hard shoulder.

I opened the door and scrambled out. The spider stayed put, glaring at me with beady little eyes. I swear it was taunting me. I shooed it off with a newspaper, watched it fall to the floor, and scamper deeper into the car as fast as its hairy little legs could carry.

I was quite pleased with myself until it dawned upon me that I needed to go back in, and I didn't know where the enemy was hiding anymore. Opening all the doors and trunk of my car, hoping the spider would politely get off, didn't seem smart. Especially as I was all alone in the middle of nowhere. I called my brother to come get me and only to be given a much-needed earful to haul my ass back into the car and drive straight home. He had no problem leaving me there with Spidey!

A friend who heard about my adventure introduced me to Lucas, a series of animated shorts about an adorable (shudder) and talented little spider created by Joshua Slice.

Watching these shorts hasn't changed my mind about spiders - I still loathe them, but at least I'm not grabbing for the nearest shoe. Progress, I think. 

Yours,
Nikita