THE NEW GARBAGE MAN

Today, was the day, I uttered my first gut-rentching Panamanian scream. For those of you who know me, you know that I don't scream often, especially when it comes to bugs. I have been known to beat to death fairly large African cock roaches, spiders and other creepy critters. Today, everything changed. For the faint of heart, maybe you should stop reading now, especially if the lice story made you itch for days.

Today is Tuesday, which means tomorrow is garbage day. Its a day we can't afford to miss because it only comes twice a month. Syd and I began to transfer the many little bags of garbage stored outside our front door into larger bags to drive out to the end of the driveway. And suddenly, there it was. I wasn’t sure what I saw at first. It was big, black and moving. I quickly pulled Syd away and screamed. Paul came running. So did Josh, who was fresh out of the shower, dripping wet, with not a stitch of clothing on. There on the white front porch tile, less than a foot away from our front door, was a huge black tarantula. By huge, I mean at least 6 inches long from tip of its front leg to back leg (when alive). When Paul realized I was not bleeding or injured, he paused and started to study our unwelcome intruder. A little impatient, I screamed, “Kill that thing, NOW!!!!” My beloved husband obliged quickly with the assistance of Joshua’s running shoe. Thanks Josh. Below is a picture of our deceased intruder. I wasn't in the frame of mind to take a picture before Paul killed it. So sorry. When it is attacked or dies, it contracts its legs like getting into the fetal position. So it doesn't appear as ominous as when I first saw it. But it still gives me the creeps. Please note the brown-green guts sprayed on Josh’s shoe, and the dismembered leg at the bottom of the picture.

Tarantula- post mortem



I still feel like I have crawlies all over my body. Now for those worry warts, tarantulas are not deadly to humans, just gross to this humans!!