I like animals. But I have a confession. I am petrified of one animal. So petrified am I that I dare not even whisper or type his name. There are no photos I can include in this blog because I cannot type his name in the Google search bar. A hint: Alfa Romeo named a model of car after this animal, starting with its first model in the 1960’s – see below:
It is this animal that causes great distress and determines whether or not we will have holidays in damp tree-filled areas and in log cabins. Perhaps because he has 8 eyes I am afraid of him. It could be the legs. Just typing this is making me look around and check that one is not there.
It is a phobia. There is no rational explanation … or was it the fearful chapter 8 in The Hobbit which was read to me as a little human that created this fear? Or was it the likeness of crabs in Durban on the beach running around me while I was buried in the sand as an even smaller little human? No. It just exists. Unless you have a phobia you will not understand.
The reason for this confession is to let you know that I too am human. My near perfect liking and respect for animals has this one flaw. How I wish it did not exist. Even more so since I have read that an unexpected consequence of climate change is that there will be MORE of these animals and what is worse, they will be FASTER!
My nerves are finished. I am sure if I was not a 100% teetotaler, I would be reaching for the Southern Comfort or if a smoker, lighting-up a Lucky Strike. I am just going to have to settle for a stiff drink of still tap water with a slice of organic lemon and because I live on the edge, a mint leaf. Oh dear. The rabbits have eaten the mint plant as well.
