He-Men and the Masters of the Universe

My friend Gregg Hurwitz and his family came over to our house yesterday afternoon for BBQ, swimming, and lazing around.  When it got dark, the kids went inside to play and the grown-ups stayed outside to talk. We were having a nice conversation when Gregg’s wife very calmly pointed out that there was a tarantula crawling by Gregg’s feet. I don’t know who yelped louder or jumped higher out of his seat — me or Gregg.

We’ve seen rabbits, scorpions, mice, squirrels, rattlesnakes, bobcats, deer, lizards, coyotes, and swarms of bees in our yard but never, ever, EVER a tarantula. The spider was huge and black and terrifying. And moved very fast.

Gregg and I, squeeling and whining like little girls, finally managed to trap the spider in a jar and dump him out on the hillside behind our house. But I found the whole thing very funny. Here are these two men — guys who’ve written all kinds of books and TV shows about tough-guy action heroes —  who turned into complete blithering sissies at the sight of a gigantic, but harmless, spider.

Just goes to prove that those who can’t do don’t teach…they write about it.

5 thoughts on “He-Men and the Masters of the Universe”

  1. Hey, wildife work isn’t for the timid, but sounds like you handled it well. Capture and relocation; very good. I ended my day yesterday with a rattlesnake. He relocated on his own though.

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  2. Lee,
    You should come down to where Jeff Mariotte and I live for a visit during the rainy season… when we get the annual tranantula migration. It’s quite a sight… my kids play with them all the time.
    As for me, it gives me the heebie jeebies!
    Cheers,
    Russell

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