I killed an itsy bitsy spider

Everyday brings new adventures. Today was certainly no exception as I rode my new used bicycle from Sarah's house back to my work at the PLU Library. Once there I dismounted my vehicle I tethered it to a nearby bike rack. As normal, the small, solid bike lock was somewhat difficult to jimmy into place so it would surround all the vital parts of my cycle so as to prevent any possible theft. I got the smaller lock because it's also supposedly more difficult for would-be thiefs to get their bolt cutters around it.

In the process of securing my bike I normally set my protective head gear on the rear rack and proceed to knock it onto the ground. Today was different however, not because I didn't topple my helmet, but because when it was pulled down by gravity it committed a sad and surprising event. I bent over to pick up the up-side-down helmet only to discover, upon turning it right-side-up, its first victim: a helpless (and now flat) spider.

Bicycle helmets are normally meant as a precautionary measure for riders to help save them from blunt head injuries often incurred by one accident or another. They can, however, be deadly in their own right. Its body flat and its eight legs curled up and away from the murderer's surface, the spider didn't know what landed on him. Now, I can't claim to have any sort of psychic connection to the animal or arachnid world but I'm pretty sure that this little guy was well aware of the fact that this particular Friday brought with it incredible mild and cloudless weather. "Think I'll go out for a walk," it may have uttered to his eight-legged compadres in spider-talk. "It's a beautiful day outside."

Strolling one leg after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, the large blue-purple assailant swooped in from above and senselessly crushed the spider who was previously just out for a late afternoon stroll.

As I flicked its significantly pancaked body from my helmet I contemplated all the above thoughts. My hope is only that in my writing this post I convey the heartfelt sorrow I feel. Please seize the day and tell someone you love them for you never know when the large, blue-purple bicycle helmet of life will slam down on you.

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