June 2010
Think that there are no flies in the ointment of life on Vancouver Island? Well here’s a recent event that might change your mind.
Isn’t this Fun?
They snuck in by air, arriving silently above me like a fleet of World War I zeppelins. Aware that they were searching for a target, I urged my hand-weeding tool to work faster. Maybe the breeze will come up again and carry them away. After the air stayed still for the next thirty seconds, I watched them head directly for me. Great. I eyed the dots beginning to gather around my head and tossed a large clump of grass into the partly full bucket of weeds that were wilting as fast as my afternoon goals. Quickly jabbing the base of a broad-leafed weed, I drew in a deep breath of resignation. Yuck! I snorted, pulled out a tissue, and blew my nose until it felt as if my brain would be expelled. Now you asked for it! Wielding the white tissue like a sword, I cut through the cloud of tiny bodies. A slim line of clear air appeared in the wake of my tissue and disappeared just as fast. Well that was pointless. I rose to my feet and the moving air currents drove them back a few inches. Yeah. Go somewhere else. Right after that a crawling sensation near my temple warned that one of the invaders had bravely managed to sneak in under my straw hat brim. I stopped it in its tracks by crushing it. Triumphantly wiping my wet fingers on my dirty jeans, my gaze took in his buddies who were advancing toward me as if they intended to get even. I tossed a weary glance over at the specks swirling above the semi-circle of clipped grass behind me. Okay. You guys win for now. I’m going inside.
Spring’s song of trilling birds and gently rustling greenery seeped through the closed windows early the next afternoon, tickling my eardrums and tugging at my heart in spite of the housework I was busy doing. Finally, the urge to venture out into the beauty on the other side of the kitchen sliders became too hard to resist. My hand settled on the door handle. Then the multitude of sunlit brown spots gliding around grabbed my attention. Wow! More than yesterday. No way I’m up to that battle today. Disappointment surged through me and I turned away. Guess you’re stuck inside for another day. Maybe they’ll be gone by tomorrow.
Two weeks is long enough for you guys to be here, my mind reminded the fly before I fanned the area near my face to send it on its way. Just after that I noticed that a few tiny black flies were attempting to hide among the hoards of slightly larger brown ones that were circling nearby. I threw my neighbour-friend a ‘isn’t this fun?’ look. “I’ll sure be glad when…yuck! I hate it when they fly in my mouth! I don’t need the extra protein! Like I was saying. I’ll sure be glad when fly season ends!”
Her blue eyes smiled. “You’re lucky you have long hair. They crawl in my ears.”
“Well they still find the part. But what I hate most is when they try to get into my eyes.” Realizing that one of the black ones was sitting on her cheek, I gently flicked it off. ”I think it’s the black ones that bite. The brown ones mostly just drive you nuts, but I’m not sure.”
Thanks. I was just into Courtenay and there aren’t any there.”
“Yeah. They’re just here. Must be all the bush around us.” My neck started to tickle so I lifted a shoulder and squeezed. ”I guess we should be glad that they don’t bite very often or pester us for too long though. And that we really don’t have many mosquitoes or biting bugs once fly season ends.” I watched as she brushed flies away her dog-companion’s brown and white face.
“Well,” she said a bit reluctantly, standing straight again and peering up the paved street. “They descend on us every time we stop so we better get going.”
“I know. A person doesn’t dare stay still.” Stepping back onto the gravel driveway, I glanced at my front rock garden. “Hope they leave soon. I don’t have to be outside much since I don’t have a dog to walk anymore and I’ve been mostly opting for inside exercise these days. Not gardening much or getting my walk in.” Waving my two friends on their way, I turned and crunched toward the gate.
A week or so after our conversation, my grin widened and I tilted my head back. Sunrays bathed my already flushed face, simultaneously adding to its heat and quenching some thirst deeply hidden within me. My leg muscles screamed for me to stop, while the sound of my panting breaths combined with nature’s symphony urged me onward. I picked up the pace, my solitary footsteps slapping the pavement and joyously beating out the message, fly season’s over! A sudden desire to gleefully throw my arms in the air brought on a laugh. Get real Sandy! It didn’t last that long. And there are worse things. You just don’t want any flies to bug you at all. I nodded. Right. Too bad I’m not in control of things. They’d stay in the bush and leave people alone.
Yes. It is too bad that we can’t control everything that comes our way in life. And it’s too bad that the flies of tough times and adversity have a way of descending on everyone sooner or later. Maybe we should all remember that. And when we see others struggling through a personal fly season, shoo the critters away if we can.
June 30th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
After much thought I believe your title “june 2010 sandrakay austin…” is well written and to a point.