Nighttime Snack

The prompt today is fears and phobias. And Wednesdays are Haiku days on Live By Surprise for the entire month of November. So I’ve added the two together—because one of my phobias relates to the urban legend that suggests that you eat eight spiders every year while you’re sleeping.

The Backstory

When we were in Holland two summers ago, it was warm enough to leave the windows open, but in Holland, they don’t have screens over their windows like we do. They also don’t have air conditioning. So while we were out one day, Hubs innocently enough left the windows open in the hopes that the room would be cool enough to sleep when we returned from our day of touring. However, when we got back, we discovered a multitude of unwanted visitors. My sister-in-law’s house was right on the canal. And canals seem to draw giant dock spiders. Yes. Giant. Some of them had bodies as big as my thumb and legs as long as my fingers. Hubs sprayed down the room before bedtime because I refused to come in unless they were all gone. But as we lay talking about our day, he told me not to move. He got out of bed, came around to my side and killed the spider that WAS JUST ABOVE MY HEAD.

The Haiku

You’ll eat eight spiders
Every year while you sleep.
Too many I fear.

Too many I fear
For while they are a protein,
Not tasty at all.

Not tasty at all.
Bug spray before bedtime or…
You’ll eat eight spiders.

[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#haiku #NABLOPOMO #amwriting”]You’ll eat eight spiders every year while you sleep.[/tweetthis]

(That was my very first NaBloPoMo post. Are you participating? There’s still time to get in! Click on one of the badges below or tag me in the comments and I can send you my prompt list!!)

NaBloPoMo November 2016NanoPoblano 2016
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9 Comments

  1. While I don’t like spiders, and I’ve found myself borderline phobic before, I always let them live because they eat things I hate much worse.
    Don’t let me tell you about the tarantula on Cassidy’s bed while on a boat on the Amazon.
    Oh wait – I just did.

  2. I like spiders but NOT to eat. And when they’re big, I’m wary.

    When I was in Missouri at my friend’s parents’ lake house, she found and killed a brown recluse in my room before bed. She left its carcass on the floor as a warning to its friends!!!

    1. Author

      I spent some times in the mountains of BC – and we were told to check our beds before we went to sleep for the nasty poisonous spiders. I slept with one eye open…

  3. I also hate spiders! Or any bugs for that matter

  4. As much as i love spiders, i don’t want big ones in my bed!

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