Here Is A Brighter Garden: The Spiderman Chronicles

Before you read any further, let me clarify. I do realize that as a woman it is my duty to fear spiders. I am supposed to screech and run and/or stomp at the sight of the little guys. For whatever reason, I never adopted this "attractive" quality. I, on the other hand, feel bad for them. I mean, it must be a tough life... being the most hated and feared insect out there. When really, if you take the time to watch and pay attention, spiders are really quite beautiful.. magnificent even. So there I said it, my name is Ashley.. I am a woman.. and I LIKE SPIDERS! (unless they are of the poisonous variety)

I'm not sure when it all started. A few days ago I suppose. I wonder into my bathroom and what do I find? A silly little spazzed out spider. This guy was teeny. Again I realize that as a woman every spider should be a threat to my well being, but I see past that. I could have spit on this spider and injured it. It was harmless and cute and quite attentive. Every where I went in the bathroom it spun around to face me. It's probably very instinctual to fear me. Not just because I am a giant either. Mostly, because of thousands of generations of spider stompers that have gone before me. Now, I'm getting off track. Where was I... oh yes, so I walk in the bathroom and there he is. My little spiderman. I decide to try and save him which is my usual reaction. I attempt to scoop him into a cup using the flat side of a comb laying on the counter. I fail. He is SO small and fragile that I'm afraid I'll injure him. So I scamper off and figure he'll be gone by my next visit to the potty.

I come back later that day and much to my surprise he is not gone. He's in the same spot that I left him in. Now, I'm starting to bond with this spider. I leave the bathroom and tell Aaron that I have a spiderman pet and he better not smoosh him. I've started to call all spiders, spidermans. I get it from Aaron's crazy Uncle Abel. He's the cutest little Portuguese man you'd ever meet and he loves animals or creatures, rather. Anyways, he calls spiders "spidermans" and it's just so stinkin cute and catchy. I do realize that saying spidermans is probably killing you grammar nazi's out there but then again so probably, is my grammar! haha.

Off track again.. yesterday morning I was getting ready for work and the little guy was still in there! I realized that maybe I should help him.. what if he's starving! I remember seeing a dead fly on the window sill in the living room so I go scoop it up and bring it to my buddy. He runs. The fly is 4 times his size. I sit down on the toilet seat and watch. He inches slowly, so slowly that you can barely tell he's moving, towards the fly. I'm amazed. He finally gets up to the fly, assesses the situation and jumps on top of him. I suppose maybe he tears a chunk off, I'm not so certain. I decide when I get home I need to try to capture him once again.

I get home and head for the bathroom. Spiderman is gone. GONE! I look in every nook and cranny and he's just gone. I'm imagining the worst, he's crawled up and died in a crack somewhere cause I starved him. I accuse Aaron of stomping on him. He thinks I've lost it. I go to bed that night worried for my little guy.

This morning I wake up and head for the bathroom (I spend too much time in there, lol). He's back. Waiting at the door for me begging for help! I run to find a piece of paper and a cup. I scoop him up and carry him outside. I place him in a dilapidated herb garden we have from this past summer. I feel content. I did feel a twinge of sadness, of selfishness maybe. I'm sad he won't be in the bathroom for me to admire anymore! But I'm happy he's found a forever home in my herb garden. So, there it is. The story of a bonding experience between a girl and a little spiderman.