Now I've got NO idea why they walk that way... but I presume that it serves some evolutionary purpose that has ensured their survival over the millennia. It isn't however, a particularly good survival mechanism for crossing the road.
This morning, I woke up at Andrew's house, having flaked out at about 10.30 last night with Phoebe on one side of me, and Matilda on the other. We'd gone to theirs for a meal, and, since its an hour away, we usually stay. I woke up with my feet sticking out under the enormous blanket that we we had all fallen asleep under at about 5am. Phoebe was not under the blanket, and was obviously not settled, and had probably kicked me...which was why I woke. When I covered her, she snuggled in. I fell asleep for another half hour, then got up and made tea for Daile and I. Daile is ALWAYS up for tea, at any time of the day or night. If I wake up and make myself one, and don't make her one because she's asleep...she gets pissy! She was asleep in a different room, and needless to say, was awake when I took the tea in to her. She has kettle radar.
The previous night, Andrew had mentioned that Jimboomba has a market on the third Sunday of each month. Its a reasonably big affair, (two or three football pitches in area) and has a proliferation of plant stalls. We are, as some of you will know, doing our rental house up, prior to re-renting it. One of the problems it has is that it is surrounded by, and shares boundaries with no less than four other properties. The fence between every one is the same 5 ft high wooden one, and three of the adjoining properties over look our garden. We felt that we should buy some fast growing hedging, and so I went off to this market at 6am on the way back up to Brisbane to continue the house decoration.
I always like characters like Jurgen, a man who says crass things like 'James' to the question, 'What is this one called?'. I liked him because he was genuine. OK, he WAS flirting with my wife....but she took to him despite that, she looks for the same things in a personality that I do.
I loaded them into the Ute, along with a couple of well manicured 'Emeralds' (Greenfire - or Ficus Benjamin to you Mum), covered them against the wind with my tarp, and set off to our house. It was later, after unloading, painting for several hours, and after I'd had lunch back at Wayne and Dette's, that on the way back to my Ute, I nearly stepped on this fella:
He was doing that walk....
Oblivious to how close he'd just come to death.
There he was, swanking across the road...like a drunk pirate. And I thought, I wonder what he makes of himself?
Then he decided to attack me and reared up... so I decided to see what he'd do if he was provoked further. He actually lunged at my trusty (2") cutting in brush! I didn't give him a finger to attack, as I had no idea if it might hurt. Wayne reckons that I'm a wimp. I just reckon I'm cautious.
After a minute or so, a car came past, giving me a look for lying completely prone in the road.... but the Mantis, followed it with his head, and then his body turned too, to follow for longer. He looked like he'd have had a go at the car too!
I picked him up in my hat, (which he attacked) and put him on the other side of the road, where he'd been heading. After about 3o seconds, he continued to walk across the grass.... probably thinking that he'd seen me off!
And the moral of the story for me, was that he THINKS that he had some control over that outcome.... just like we all do in our lives!
Notice how even when he's attacking the brush, he's still got one eye on the camera too...
No comments:
Post a Comment