Monday 5 January 2009

Bangs And Sadness

It's been a strange start to the year. Since Christmas, whilst I haven't personally received any bad news, a number of my friends have. It's difficult to hear of people having tough times and it leaves you feeling very helpless, for there are never the right words to make it better.
So, I'm sending out all the good vibes and wishes that I can muster.

On Saturday I killed a pheasant. I didn't even see it as it ran straight to the side of my car and underneath it. It breaks my heart, there are so many of them around and I've always been a little amazed in all my recent years in the country I've only had close calls.
I'll always feel a guilt about it that I can't shake.
All the way back in 1998 I ran over a squirrel and I've never forgotten.
A few years before that, a rabbit.
I remember each incident vividly and probably always will.
What's curious is that whilst I do feel guilt, it's swift and less severe if I kill ants and flies. Is it the fact of their numbers, their ability to annoy without even trying? The same is true of slugs and snails, I avoid killing them if at all possible, I don't want to kill them, I'd prefer to live and let live.

Maybe I'm sensitive or maybe it's the vegetarian in me.

On a sunnier note, I was watching TV earlier today and a scene made me laugh so hard I cried. Watching Ty Pennington (another Celebrity Crush - of course) insert a detonator into a stick of dynamite, under careful supervision, before placing it in a hole so that he would be able to blow some granite away from the wall of the mine. He was visibly nervous and not keen on the idea as he slowly slid the dynamite into the prepare hole, at which point his supervisor leaned in and very loudly shouted "BANG!". I swear I've never seen anyone jump like that, I sincerely wish I could find it on youtube. I'm giggling now, just remembering it.

Some years ago (more than I like to admit) my best friend at the time, Sarah and I arrived at my house after school. No one was home, we went into the hallway and I stopped her.
"Shhh, do you hear that?"
Sarah: "What?"
Me: "That!"
Sarah: "I don't hear anything"
Me: "Shh, listen carefully"
Sarah: "But...."
Me: "Shhhhhhh"
We descend into absolute silence. I scream "BANG" and proceed to fall about laughing till I hurt as Sarah nearly collapses from terror.
I'm a little evil sometimes.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now that was mean to Sarah!

Jack and Jill said...

I peed my pants laughing at your comment about Mrs. Smith over on Hobocamp, so I had to come see what you're all about. And you're a fellow veggie - yay!

I killed a deer with my car once in high school. I'll never forget how awful I felt. :-(

-Jill

Flibbertigibbet said...

Mum: Mean? Possibly.
Fricking hilarious? Abso-bloody-lutely!

Jill: Hello! I'm pleased I caused a chortle. Seriously, you should have been there, I had bladder control issues.
I love meeting veggies! I actually hardly know any these days! I'm not sure if we're a dying breed.
Maybe that's why we don't forget the cars vs animal incidents that end badly....