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Editor’s Note: Sometimes you pay for the show, and sometimes the show finds you. I believe there is an account of a Christian Saint who was forced to go to the Collosseum with his friends. He confessed he could not keep his eyes closed forever, and he too was soon caught up in the horrifying attraction of the arena. One day I caught a glimpse. Read the post, listen to the podcast.
https://robbycainiii.podbean.com/e/gladitorial-games-at-starbucks-epi-35-s6/
Yesterday, I WAS A WITNESS TO A MURDER.
I would never expect to see a gladiatorial bout on Ballenger Avenue. It took place out on the street. I was walking towards the entrance of Starbucks. Tables at that time were set up outside right next to the street.
A woman and her boyfriend were enjoying their drinks.
It was a very nice day, but as I was walking by their table, I heard a terrifying SCREAM! I whipped around and a woman stood up in fright. She was looking down at her table in shock. She backed away, tipping over her chair as she walked backwards. Something scared her. Something scared me. ON HER TABLE, by her Café Americano WAS A PRAYING MANTIS.
It just stood there, looking up at her.
I mean it was looking up at her – DEFIANTLY.
Now, let’s get something straight. Don’t misunderstand the adjective the precedes the name. PRAYING, meaning, “…the act of a solemn request or an expression of thanks to a deity”, is not the proper word for this walking ill-tempered insectoid.
Notice how I am spelling out the adjective.
The word “P-R-A-Y-I-N-G” is far from the truth when it comes to this carnivorous monster.
The proper spelling should be: P-R-E-Y-I-N-G
I had my run in with this beastie before. Notice how I threw in a Scottish sounding description to relate my dislike for the creature. Once upon a time, when I was a kid and was playing hide-and-seek next to Lake Michigan, I hid amongst the tall grasses on the beach. I felt something heavy on my cheek. This praying-mantis had jumped off a bush and hung onto my left cheek, holding on to my fleshy cheeks with both pincers. I absent mindedly slapped it away, and I saw it fly off.
It still gives me the shivers.
I can still feel it on my cheek, holding on and wondering how he was going to devour the behemoth-catch that he managed to grab at the end of his hunt.
I am now involuntarily shivering.
Anyway.
The thought of my encounter has haunted my dreams for years.
Now, let’s go back to the incident in front of Starbucks.
By now, a crowd had gathered. It was Saturday afternoon after all. Everyone was up and about. When hearing the woman’s scream, the pedestrians pressed forward wondering what was going on. It was something to do. The only thing I can compare it to is highway traffic. You know what I mean, the utter fascination in seeing a wreck by the side of the road.
PEOPLE WANTED TO KNOW WHY SHE HAD SCREAMED. It was not a small squeak, not even a scream followed by laughter – “Oh, I scared myself type of scream.”
IT WAS A FULLTHROATED SCREAM OF A WOMAN TERRIFIED.
I wonder if I was the one screaming?
Hmmm.
Ponder.
Shudder.
Now her boyfriend didn’t seem to mind. He was more amused by her reaction than anything else.
In typical boyfriend fashion, he picked up the creature between his finger and thumb – watching the mantis struggle for a moment – and then let it go.
It dropped back down onto the table with a plop and all he succeeded in doing was pissing off the insect.
I SWEAR IT LOOKED LIKE THE CREATURE DUSTED HIMSELF OFF AND WENT BACK TO TERRORIZING THE WOMEN.
The woman screamed again. The praying mantis didn’t like it.
Like a gladiator wielding its weapons – in the left hand a shield, and in the right a spear – his TWO ENORMOUS PINCERS ROSE UP TOWARDS THE WOMAN AS SHE TOOK A STEP BACKWARDS.
This is the point when someone stepped in.
A robin redbreast flew down from a tree. It dropped down on top of the table like a gladiator entering the arena. The bird placed itself between the woman and the insect. I could read the bird’s mind, “Stay behind me…I’ll take care of this.”
Well, that’s what it looked like, anyway. The crowd pressed closer to the table in expectation.
Now you have to imagine what happened next, and I assure you the following is absolutely TRUE!
THE PRAYING MANTIS WAS IN FULL BATTLE MODE!
HE (well, maybe it was a she) WAS NOT GOING TO BE PUT OFF BY A MERE ROBIN REDBREAST.
Why should this MONSTER fear a sweet, happy robin that decided to drop in and see what was going on?
I expected the sweet, happy robin to flutter its wings and say, “Opps, gotta an appointment. See ya,” and fly away.
Nope.
The insect took a few stops forward…his pincers at the ready…and by its body movement and its rush forward to take on the interloper, I could hear the mantis shout, “FOOL WITH ME WILL YA?”
It was then I saw something far scarier. It was something I had never seen in my entire life.
It was the one thing that you, or anyone else would expect.
The sweet-happy robin CHANGED. I HAD NEVER SEEN A ROBIN GET ANGRY BEFORE.
I’m serious, the robin got seriously pissed off.
ITS HEAD LOWERED.
ITS WINGS SPREAD OUT FROM THE BODY MAKING THE BIRD SEEM THREE TIMES LARGER THAN IT WAS.
AND THE BIRD MADE A HORRIFYING SOUND BETWEEN A SCREECH AND A WARBLE.
This bird was angry.
HE WAS THE MEANEST LOOKING ROBIN I HAVE EVER LAID EYES ON.
ITS YELLOW BEAK OPENED UP REVEALING A GAPPING MASSIVE MAW.
Well, not to me…but to the mantis.
WHAT do you think HAPPENED NEXT?
THE BIRD TOOK THE MANTIS IN ITS GIANT BEAK AND FLEW AWAY.
LUNCH was SERVED.
The crowd dispersed.
I got my hot tea and muffin.
It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?
