A SPIDER IN THE TUB

That was the early me--seriously. 

My very first spider encounter was in  my highchair as a toddler. My chair was in a corner so there was a wall on either side of me. Don't know why I looked up but then I saw him. A giant creature was crawling down the wall towards me.

OK, he was only a daddy long legs, the most benign spider there is, but to a two year old, he was elephantine.  My screaming brought my brother to the rescue. Jack smushed him with a rolled up news paper making him look like a broken wagon wheel with no rim glued to the wall. They all laughed, I did not.

My second traumatic spider event occurred in my childhood home of Key West which is home to one of the largest spiders in the world that lives in the tropics.
 The Goliath Bird Killers. 

These spiders don't build a webs, they hunt and can jump over 10 feet.  I had the pleasure of having one fall off the top of the garage door to land on my shoulder. He was level with my eye as he stood on my shoulder like an ugly puppy.  It took six blocks of running full out while screaming and flogging myself before I could feel safe. Pretty sure Goliath fell off after the first two steps.  I shivered and peeked around corners for weeks after.

Most of my life, spiders have made me whimper and screech for help making me feel like that helpless two year old once more. Eventually I grew to not be so mortally afraid and actually learned to look at them with interest rather than
terror. Thank you Biology 101 in college, plus the story of Robert the Bruce.  Still, I do not wish to share personal space with one.

Spring brings the spider activity to full bore.  Often a spider will be sitting in your tub or sink in the early morning. It is a case of having fallen and can't get up. The smooth sides of the surfaces make them prisoners.

I graduated from spraying them with water down the drain to actually capturing them and releasing them out side. That is huge for an arachnophobe.

HOWEVER, the other day I was enjoying a soothing hot bubble bath.    I was reaching for my body wash container when I noticed movement.  Holy crap, a spider was hiding behind the bottle.  Once I removed the bottle, he only had inches to go before he would slide into the water to join me.

Now this was no Goliath. In fact it was a rather petite little spider but if you have the fear, size doesn't matter.  Eight legs is all that is necessary to make you crazy.

There was the time I would have run naked and sudsy into the street screaming to get away. That time is past but not by much. I knew if he fell in, he would seek the highest level out of the water to climb upon--which was me. I am not that much evolved.

Trying not to make waves or air currents while still in the tub I was able to grab my rinse cup and watched. Sure enough, he soon got too close to the edge and into my bath water he tumbled.  I scooped him up with the cup as he hit the water then watched for a second to make sure he couldn't climb out.

I should have then thrown him outside to live again but remember, I was naked, sudsy and live on a major road.  So I quickly finished my bath, got decent then addressed the issue.

Oddly the little bugger was still doing the back stroke. I am surprised the hot water didn't cook him and he was still paddling as I poured him among the roses.

Did he make it?? I have no idea but there is hope. At least he was clean.

What is your greatest fear?