Sping Buzz

Spring is a beautiful time of year here in Millington and the Lucy
area. Just the other day I took time to drive around the old
neighborhood and see all that spring had brought. However, one
unwelcome sight of spring has always been the wasp and bumblebees.

I've had my share of "bee" battles but two in particular are the most
memorable. We always had a problem with bumblebees. Those big hairy thumb sized monsters would always disturb our spring/summer outdoor activities. They would especially hang out by the grill where we
cooked out. One summer my dad invented a game that became a Childress
annual favorite. “Bee Ball” was invented when dad grabbed a little
metal spatula used to move charcoal around and smacked the bees when
they got to close or tried to attack. The sound of the bee being
projected off the metal shovel was indeed a humorous sound. We would
actually argue on whose turn it was to hit the next bee. Call us redneck if you’d like but we all got a kick out of bolting that bee into the oblivion.

My second “bee” story requires a vivid imagination because folks you cannot make this stuff up.
One Spring Stevie and I had a crush on the same girl who
lived down the street from us. We were always seeking out her
attention and trying to get her to notice us. One day Stevie and I invited her over to my house for a
friendly competition, a battle of the wills, on who would get the
girl. We started the competition off by seeing who could do the most
sit-ups on my deck. We lay on the hot wooden deck, flexing our muscles. The girl was counting our sit-ups when not one but two wasp were flying around me. One saw my right nostril as a point of impact,
entered, and proceeded to sting me. The second wasp waited patiently
for the first to make it's run, as if it were a fighter plane waiting for the first to make it’s raid, and once it exited the second made the exact same maneuver. Yes two wasp flew up my right nostril and stung
me. It took everything within me to not cry. There was a girl present, and one I much admired so I had to be tough. I ran inside and mom put bacon soda in my nose. My face immediately began to swell up and my right eye was swollen shut. I walked back outside bruised and battered from
the attack where my lady to be was still waiting. I knew at that
moment that I had won the affection or in this case sympathy of the of
the girl. I really didn't care but I did get the girl and we went steady…for a whole day.

There are many sure signs of spring and insects are not exempt.
Although they can be quite annoying, we all have our stories (good or bad) that make
us reflect on days gone by and appreciate the memories had.

- Steve Childress