Got my new/used lawnmower to where it needed to be. Loaded up with sunblock, Twizzlers, big mug of tea, and a full gas can. Since I would be passing by Their House when sputtering was expected, I flipped up the lid and refueled on the go. Arrived without incident, except when I engaged the blade, the belt slipped off and she refused to go. Lucky for me, I knew what to do, because I had seen it done before.
I had been mowing with my push mower when I turned around and saw my neighbor laying on his side next to his (riding) mower. He was elderly, so I figured that he had a stroke or heart attack. Got to the fence, and had one foot on top of it about to go over, when I realized that it was something more exotic. He had been stung to death by by bees. I hadn't noticed because of my earplugs and the noise of my mower, but I knew now. The swarm had moved past him and was upon me. They had me dead to rights, because I was out in the open, and there was absolutely no place to run. The only real decision was what position I wanted to be found in, but hey, it's bees, so there wasn't going to be any dignity here. I held perfectly still as the swarm moved past, then my neighbor got up, started his mower, and drove off. Turns out they were ordinary honeybees and my neighbor was popping the belt back on. He had no idea they had passed right over him, and I decided not to say a thing.
Sometimes to be oblivious is to be content.
ReplyDeleteI know if that had been me the vibrations from my screams would have shaken California into the ocean all the way from here on the east coast.