Fear—Legitimate or Ridiculous? (Writer’s Workshop)

Who refuses to wear perfume in the Summer and keeps away from those who do? Me

Who does not like eating outside? Me

Who does not generally drink pop outside? Me

Who just stops playing tennis in the middle of a rally? Me

Who weeded for only about two minutes before quitting? Me

Who doesn’t like wearing anything red in the Summer? Me

Why? Because of bees.
The cause of my fear. I hate bees! I am afraid of those things; they hurt when they sting. I know because I was stung by one while playing with a hula hoop, just minding my own business. Actually, I didn’t get stung while playing, it just landed on my thumb and wouldn’t get off. The neighbor mom brushed it off and that’s when it stung me. I still have the scar! So, that’s why I am afraid of bees, wasps, hornets and anything that stings.

Prevention at any cost. I don’t wear perfume because I’ve heard it attracts bees. I don’t like eating outside because bees usually come around, especially if there is pop open. That’s why I never drink pop outside (I usually don’t drink pop anymore at all anyway.) Sometimes during a game of tennis with Gerard, a bee will come by me and I’ll just stop even if it causes me to lose the point. If it doesn’t leave the court in 10 minutes, we leave. I decided to help my husband in the yard and started to pull out some big weeds that were growing in our rose bush but had to quit after just a few minutes because the bees were buzzing! So much for the weeding. I don’t usually wear red in the Summer because I heard bees are more attracted to bright colors.
Little Miss Muffet (Remember that nursery rhyme?): Last Summer I was just sitting on my porch in my white shorts and a bee landed on my leg! Then it started crawling around on me! I was terrified it was going to crawl into my shorts! Finally, after about 5 minutes at least, it did fly away and I went inside the house. Thank God for screens that let air in but keep those bees outside! So, who walks off the porch if a bee comes by? Me. I miss my enclosed porch that I used to have at my dad’s house. I’m like Little Miss Muffet except letting spiders scare me away, it’s bees!

I Remember the Bee: Gerard and I went to see a movie where they gave us special glasses to put on to see it in 3-D. I don’t remember what movie it was, but I do remember seeing a big yellow jacket bumble bee coming at me and I took those glasses off quick!

Mom’s Advice: After I was stung, my mom told me that if a bee comes, I should just stand still and be quiet. It will think I’m a tree and will leave me alone and fly away. So, that is what I do but I hate when they follow me! I don’t believe anymore that bees will think I’m a tree, but by following her advice, I have never been stung since. I got an email that gave lots of different uses for Bounce (sheets you put in your dryer to soften your clothes and prevent static). One of the things it said was to keep bees away from you by carrying a sheet in your pocket. So who carries a sheet of Bounce in her pocket during the Summer? Me.

This is part of Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop in response to the prompt: Where does that fear come from? Write about something that frightens you that other people might find ridiculous. So, do you think I’m being ridiculous? What scares you?

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