It came as a bit of a shock to realize that I was pregnant again! I had just stopped breast-feeding Vanessa and was ready to start taking “The Pill” when I noticed the tell-tale signs. I have often said that my two children are the nicest accidents that ever happened to me, if I had waited until I felt ready to have babies they may never have been born!
This pregnancy was easier than my first, I had very little morning sickness and my energy level seemed higher. By now I had more help at the Pizzeria, and although my hours were still long the work-load was not as onerous. Vanessa had been born smack in the middle of February, the busiest month at the restaurant, and I was pleased that this baby would be born during the first week of October. We had already decided to close the restaurant during September and October so the timing could not have been better.
One evening I came home from work well tired and ready for bed. As I slipped gratefully between the sheets my eye caught a movement on the rafter above my head. Looking up, I spotted the BIGGEST spider I had ever seen! I didn’t know much about spiders, and was not sure whether it was a tarantula or a wolf, all I knew was that I would not be able to sleep with such a thing hanging over my head.
The spider was brown, and bigger than my out-stretched hand. It had long hairy legs and was monstrous. Some people find spiders beautiful and I am not one of them, that thing was incredibly ugly. Mac assured me that there are no poisonous spiders on Bequia but how could I possibly believe him when the damned thing LOOKED poisonous? Sleep was not going to happen that night until the creature was dealt with.
Mac got a stiff broom and quickly jabbed it at the spider’s large body in an attempt to squish it, and squish it he did. As the spider fell from the rafter so did hundreds (it seemed like MILLIONS) of live baby spiders, and those baby spiders fell on top of me. I ran screaming from the bed and kept screaming as the tiny insects ran up my nightgown and onto my face. It took a long time before Mac could calm me down, it was a truly horrible experience.
I had thought the centipedes were bad during my first pregnancy and they were, but they sure didn’t give me the nightmares those spiders did. They had given me a terrible fright, and to this day I shudder when I think of that night.
A paradox had you left it alone those tiny spiders would have been safely delivered and not interfere ever with your living. Spiders provide a wonderful scavenging service for things such as mosquitoes. Take time to observe their beauty. As a child I despised these things but I’ve grown to appreciate how we only exist because of them. Every time we get rid of an insect we are driving the nail further into our very own existence
I understand, and respect nature including spiders. However, that spider was huge and fuzzy, I didn’t want it hanging over me while I slept! I am sure a multitude of those babies lived, they were certainly alive when they fell!