Les packed much of the car this am as projects this week are taking much longer than usual. So I suspect that is how we had the issue with the cricket.

As we are driving down the road, I spy a cricket on the top front corner of my passenger side door just below the window. He was small but like all his kind...he had those big muscular thighs that make you realize he can jump all over you.

I feel quite proud that my initial reaction was not panic (evidence of personal growth for sure). Instead, I inched forward to ease the electric window down but the damn thing just held on and leaned into the wind. So, emboldened I went to sweep him out of the window and he lept off across me in the direction of between the seats.

"Pull over!" I shout and repeated in rapid succession in a tone increasing with my level of panic. I could feel him and all his kin jumping on me any minute. Les did his best (but not quite fast enough for my liking) to pull off taking time for such things as SAFETY and BLINKERS when there is a jumping cricket in the car with a phobic, mad woman!

Of course by this time the little bugger (nice word for him) was not to be found. My purse was between the seats and I made him look for it in there as I just knew the damn thing would jump out at me in my office. Les saw him on the gas peddle but he lept up into the console. No, we could not find him and I began to think that I was going to have to drive to MARYLAND with the damn thing. That was special with images of swerving around the interstate juxtaposed with sitting still letting it jump all over me. Still, we needed to get to work so we drove on with me vigilant for his reappearance.

We stopped for my morning coffee and with the weather change to figure out what exact temperature and climate setting to put the car defrost on to keep me from freezing and the windshield clear.

And then, there he was..on the dash sitting there like the impertinent little &%#*! that he was. I say was because I crushed him with my napkin...not once but many times saying all the while, "I am sorry honey, but this one has to die, die, DIE!" (Les always chases crickets and gently cups them in his hand to take them out and free them...they are good luck you know.)

So, unless he brought friends and family, I am now safe to take my trip tomorrow.

God knows what insect creature will want to hitch a ride there to come back home to South Carolina!