Tuesday, April 10, 2012

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.

20 comments:

  1. When I read your post I saw the proverbial cartoon with a cloud of bees chasing their antagonist. lol

    I once wanted to get my mother a fresh flower but there was a bee inside of it. I figured, what the hay, I weighed 80 lbs and he a fraction of an ounce. Impulsively, I snagged the hibiscus and fled across the street. No bee was inside upon my swift examination.

    I stopped on the other side of the road and that was when I felt the sting in my ear. I don't recall if I cursed or cried first, but I did learn a lesson: buy flowers without bees inside of them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More to the point, maybe the lesson you should have learned was that bringing flowers to the women you love results in pain! :)

      Delete
  2. Like Jeremy, I thought of a cartoon bee in the shape of a hand grabbing you.
    When I was a kid, there was a beehive on a tree at my elementary school. A group of us idiots were trying to throw rocks at it. I was the lucky one to hit it. The bees poured out and attacked...the kid who was telling us it was stupid. Sometimes Karma likes to have a good laugh, kid.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi...I'm hopping over from the A to Z challenge. Lovely blog...good luck with the challenge!

    Donna L Martin
    www.donasdays.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. THIS IS AN AWESOME STORY!!! love the way you write. what a smart brother to dunk you in the pool.

    will be back for sure to read more!

    best,
    MOV
    http://mothersofbrothersblog.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! He certainly did think quickly to save his little sister!

      Delete
  5. Great story! Just goes to show that not all logic processes are linear! I'm trying to visit all the A-Z Challenge Blogs this month.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm pretty sure that no logic is linear when it comes to my brain! Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  6. Like the first two comments, I totally saw a cartoonish swarm of bees. But mine were making an arrow to go deep in to your chest.

    I stepped on an underground wasp nest when I was 5 or so. I do not mess with the yellow and black things. I looked like I had the mumps.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good call! I did learn my lesson and I stay away from them now too. I'm just lucky I wasn't allergic!

      Delete
  7. oh my! glad you came out of that adventure all right:)
    Happy A-Zing!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. You have a wonderful way with words. I for Impressive!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I seem to remember doing things equally as intelligent as a child, but all those memories have been replaced by the stupid and impulsive things I have done as an adult that have left an even greater sting. *shudder*

    Great story!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah...let's not talk about adult things! Thanks!

      Delete
  10. Great story! I was right there with you the whole time.

    ReplyDelete