I woke up one morning and was about to turn on the shower when
I saw something dark in the bathtub. It
was a water bug. I shuddered. I was grateful I saw it before stepping in
the tub or putting on the water.
While peeing, I watched it try to climb up the tub, but it
kept sliding back down. It tried many
times. I couldn’t help but relate. On one hand I was glad it was trapped, so I
wouldn’t have a heart attack. On the
other hand, I felt that it was a shitty way for one’s life to end. I couldn’t help but imagine people trying to
climb up something to get out and it being too smooth to grip onto, leaving
everyone sliding back down. I decided I
needed to get it out alive somehow. I
didn’t want its life to end there.
At one of my jobs, I shared that I left a water bug in my tub
for my friend to get rid of for me later.
A woman, who is very religious and she’d say spiritual, told me I should’ve
ran hot water on it. I was so taken
aback. When I was a child, a cousin and
I once poured hot water on ants. When I
told my mother what we did, she, without trying to make me feel bad at all,
told me, “Even the tiniest things have feelings.” I remember asking her about all the ants we
must step on when we walk, and she distinguished that as being quick and
unavoidable and not slow and painful. My
mother was not religious at all and was the most humane person I had ever known.
My buddy came over that night to help me with an ever-growing
list of things I need help with. The
water bug was at the top of the list. I
told him how I felt and wondered if we (really he) could get it out the window. He said they come from the drain pipes and
like water. He thought it would be
better to flush it down the toilet. I
asked, “Will it survive?” He said, “It
might.” And for my sake, and without judging
me but rather understanding how I felt, he tried very hard to get it alive into
the toilet bowl. I heard sounds from him
that made me imagine from the other room that the water bug was trying to go on
him.
When, years ago, my buddy’s dad passed away, his mom said, “I
was lucky to be with such a kind person for as long as I was.” I feel the same way about my friendship with
her son for over 35 years. (Yes, we have
HAPPILY outlasted all romantic relationships on both sides, including my
marriage.)
Nothing like a real live, help you when you need help, friend. Lucky when you have one.
Sounds like you are both a blessing to each other. More men and women should be so lucky!
Thank you both. Yes, he would say it was hard work that got us to this point more than luck. I still feel lucky that we met and that he stuck around when it was not easy. Though we have never been romantically involved, we are more life partners than those I've been romantically involved with.
You are a genuinely humane and decent person. I'm sure you won't stomp on the next person that crosses your path either. Good for you.
David! I am so glad to hear from you. I am so relieved you are doing so well after your ordeal. With all that humanity, some call me a bitch and a terrible person and some just see me as crazy. It's amazing. So much is in the eye of the beholder. Yeah, I don't typically stomp on others, but there are many stompers out there. Just don't care to be a stompee either. Thanks for appreciating. I am sending a hug. I am so glad you are doing well.