Window Of Opportunity
My wife recently purchased dog food from a local pet store.
While there, she also purchased ten, count them, ten crickets.
You know, them little things that are so pleasant to hear during
the summer beyond your open window? Of course, if you get one
under your bed room dresser and he chirps all night long, they
aren't so cute any more and if you get one in your underwear
drawer, well then your admiration for them is greatly diminished
in more ways than one.
My youngest son has a frog and of course frogs love
crickets. They sell for about a nickel a piece in most pet
stores around here so if you're looking for extra money to earn,
you could breed crickets at home. If you are entrepreneur
minded and pretty sharp, perhaps you could give birth to a multi-
level organization and become financially independent without
ever having to work. But I digress.
My wife brings home these crickets which are normally placed
in a zip lock bag for transportational security purposes. They
are, by the way, normally quite tiny and aren't, I repeat, aren't
your bigger than life garden variety type of critters. Sandy
brings these here tiny crickets home and my youngest son is out
and about and unable to take them to his room for safe keeping.
Well, now, this creates a bit of a problem because we also have
cats. We've learned from experience that a cat loves to pounce
upon anything that moves; especially something hopping around in
a transparent bag. Sandy, unable to figure out where to store
these tiny things where the cats can't find them, decides to
temporarily, the key word here is temporarily, store the bag of
crickets in the empty microwave. That's right, in the microwave.
After all, they'd be safe in there, right?
Later that night my 17 year old son comes in, pops something
in the microwave for just ten seconds and wala. hot crickets?
Nope, nope, nope, you cricket lovers who have been lobbying so
faithfully for cricket rights all these many years can sleep easy
tonight. All ten were alive and well and leaping into the air
for joy. Why? Well, see, what happened was, somebody, after my
wife had placed the bag in the microwave, had placed a pizza box
in the microwave and it depressed the bag; causing it to spring
the little things free. They, discovering their new found
liberty of life leaped off the formerly spinning carousel for the
outer limits of their iron prison. At this time, their jail
break was discovered by my 17 year old son who said with
considerable enthusiasm, "Oh, Mom, why are Everett's crickets in
the microwave?"After my immediate inquiry to their safety, my
oldest son reported they were indeed alive and well. I said,
"Catch the stupid things before they get away." I mean, after
all, they were valued at a nickel a piece. He tried but they,
being tiny and very active due to their recent near death
experience, were hopping for their little lives toward the open
door. Five crickets cleared the door before anyone could catch
them and are to this day still roaming the house with complete
freedom of movement. The other five were captured and, as of
this writing, patiently await their reptilian demise. The moral
of the story? Even a microwave cannot cook a cricket. Blind
persons everywhere; learn from the story of the crickets. Don't
let a little thing keep you down. When you see an opportunity,
jump for it. It may be your last chance, indeed, perhaps your
only window of opportunity.
Phil Scovell