Attack of the Monster Bug!

We went to Stone Mountain today, and the kids played in the waterfall. It was crowded, but they had a good time, except when Travis climbed up very high on a slippery rock and then decided that it was much higher than he'd expected and had some anxious moments getting back down. The really notable event of the day, though, was my dramatic demonstration of cowardice when under attack by a gigantic bug.

We were driving toward the park when I heard a horrible buzzing by my head and felt a huge bug crawling in my hair. With some drama, I requested that Ed pull over, leaped out of the car and started trying to shake the thing out of my hair. But it was no longer there. So I got back in the car and we drove a little farther, and it attacked me again! It took some volume on my part to convince Ed that it was Urgent that he pull off the road again. This time too, though, the bug disappeared as I jumped out of the car. By this point the kids were also upset, because I had seen the bug, and it was a Big one, and I am not normally inclined to hysterics but this thing was hysterics-worthy! Ed had a good look around my seat but could not find the bug, which, given its size, was astonishing but also proof of its diabolical cleverness. None of us (except Ed, whose phobia is snakes and who is unfazed by bugs) wanted to get back into the car, but there didn't seem to be much choice so we all squeezed onto the back seat and let the giant bug enjoy my comfortable seat. Unfortunately, sitting all the way at the back of the van makes me carsick. Ed searched the car again when we got to the waterfall, and then when we stopped for ice cream on the way home. After the last time, I decided that fear of a bug which might have left the car was preferable to carsickness and went back to my seat. But I stayed alert!

After some googling I have concluded that the monster bug was probably a green June bug (also called a fig eater). It was about two inches long, and the same size wide. It may or may not have had blood-dripping fangs. But I am feeling very apprehensive about the drive to church tomorrow.