Wickipedia defines arachnophobia as an “abnormal fear of spiders”. I’m not even mildly afraid of spiders but that doesn’t mean that I want them crawling all over me, nor do I feel obligated to share my house with them.

The problem isn’t the mobe at all. I haven’t seen any insects or spiders in here since I’ve been here. But the spiders seem to have taken over my car. I noticed them on the trip down to Florida a couple of weeks ago and lately I’ve seen quite a few spider webs from the dash to the passenger seat and from the steering wheel to the driver’s door.

The other day, as I was leaving the YMCA after a workout, I noticed a small black spider above my head near the sun visor. I waited for a traffic light and smooshed him in one of the McDonalds napkins that were in the glove compartment. No, I didn’t steal the napkins. When I stopped for lunch on the way down to Florida, I had taken more than I needed. If I had left them on the table they would just be thrown away, so into the car they went.

The next day, as I was driving down US-19 at 55 m.p.h., I felt something on my leg, looked down, and a spider was crawling through the hair on the inside of my knee. No, I don’t shave my legs! I guess I’m not a real biker or triathlete until I do, but I just can’t bring myself to try and explain it to the people here at Club Wildwood. They are, for the most part, a generation back, and wouldn’t understand. OK! Maybe it’s a “man thing” and I haven’t bridged that gap myself.

Anyway, I smacked the spider and he fell to the floor. I don’t know if he was alive or not, but I didn’t want to look and cause an accident. I can see it now. The Channel 8 news story would go, “An elderly man, 60 years old, was driving down US-19 the other day, and caused a 15 car accident. When he was interviewed at the scene, he stated that he lost control of his car when he saw a spider crawling on his leg.” I would be drummed out of the “real man club” and, with the shame, would be forced to move and not face my neighbors.

As I think back, I’m sure I know why the infestation occurred. The past fall I raked and carried 32 bags of leaves in four trips from the lake to the leaf drop off behind the City Garage in Hastings. I carried another few bags in two trips that Jean had raked up down there too. I’m guessing there were hundreds of spiders in the leaves. When I put the leaves in the bags, I’m sure they didn’t like that and crawled out before I dumped the leaves.

They probably have been living in the nooks and crannies of the Jeep ever since. I can’t imagine what they have been living off from in there, but Jean did ride with me down to Florida. Between carrying half a sandwich from Quiznos for an afternoon snack, and munching on pretzels, I’m sure she left them with plenty of food. Maybe the crumbs aren’t the insects they’re used to, but, as they say, any port in the storm.

I’m working out three times a week at the Y, riding three or four days a week, but only 20 miles each ride, and running three times a week, again at low mileage. My only chance at swimming is at the Y in the outdoor pool. The allergy doesn’t affect me as much in outdoor pools, but they put the cold weather tent over the pool last week, so that ends that until late February.

Just (Nursing Minor Aches And Pains) Jack

P.S. My thoughts and prayers are with the Dickinson family and Laura’s friends after her passing.