I is for Impulsive

I knew I shouldn’t antagonize bees. Our neighbors kept hives and I’d been stung before. It hurt. I certainly didn’t like it. So when I discovered a ground hive just off the front porch, I knew I should stay away from it. In fact, I knew I should tell my mom about it.

Instead, I sat there and watched the bees fly in and out. They buzzed lazily around the big lilac bush, landed on flowers then flew back to the hive. They would land just outside of the hole in the ground then crawl into the darkness.

I knew that I also shouldn’t play with sticks. But I had one that I was using as a sword that day. Before I found the hive, I was a pirate on the high seas. The front porch was my ship and I had just captured some booty!

I twirled the stick in my hands as I sat on the steps watching the bees. I knew that honey was good but a hive in our front yard was bad. I twisted the stick on the ground and inched closer to the hive. I scooted down to the next step. The bees didn’t seem to mind me being so close.

I drew a circle on the ground around the hive with my stick. Then without even thinking, without even pausing to consider what I was doing, I jammed the stick into the hive. I jumped up and ran up the steps on the porch.

Nothing happened. A few bees scurried around the stick on the ground while a few more, returning from the lilacs buzzed in confusion above the stick. I eased closer to the hive again curious as to why the bees weren’t doing anything about the stick.

As I got closure, I could hear a faint hum coming from the hive. I knew I shouldn’t have stuck a stick in their home and now I felt bad that I had. The bees weren’t bothering me and I knew that I shouldn’t bother them.

“I’m sorry,” I told the bees flying above the hive and I reached for the stick.

I plucked the stick from the hive. Bees erupted from the ground like a geyser. They arched up above my head and then in a split second, it seemed like every single one of the now very angry bees turned towards me.

All at once bees were over me. I screamed and jumped up from the porch. My brother, near the pool house saw what was happening as I fled from the bees.

“Over here!” He called and I ran towards him, bees in full pursuit.

He met me at the edge of the pool and in one swoop lifted and flung me into the water. I don’t remember if he jumped in after me or how long I was in the water. But I do remember my mom rubbing meat tenderizer into each of the stings.

“Did you learn a lesson?” My mom asked.

“Yes,” I told her knowing what she wanted to hear. “Think before I act.”

The problem was I thought about the consequences. I just figured that the bees would be happy I saved them. I didn’t think they’d know I was the one that caused the problem in the first place.