SPIDER CATCHING

My son Alex came out of his bathroom and passed me in the hallway as he headed for the kitchen. “There’s a spider in my bathroom.” He called over his shoulder.

“Oh, I can get that for you.” I went into the bathroom and began looking around.

“That’s okay. I’m getting a glass so I can catch him.” Alex called from the kitchen.

I spotted the spider in the corner by the ceiling. Grabbing a couple of tissues from the box I balled them up, reached over to put the lid down on the toilet, and climbed up on it.

“What are you doing?” Alex asked as he came back into the room holding a glass.

“I’m getting the spider for you.” I was slowly reaching over to squish the spider into the tissue when it suddenly dropped from the ceiling to the floor. “Whoops.” I looked down and couldn’t see where it had landed.

I could hear Alex sigh as I stepped down from the toilet.

“Sorry about that.” I shrugged my shoulders as I dropped the tissues in the waste basket. “I’m usually pretty good at catching them.”

“Actually you’re pretty good at killing them.” Alex corrected me as he put the glass down on the sink and began looking for the missing spider. “I was planning on catching him and putting him outside.”

“Well, it’s not the only spider we’re going to be finding in the house.” I reached over and turned the sink on. “It’s that time of year.” I soaped up my hands and then quickly rinsed them off. Shaking the excess water off before I leaned past him to reach the hand towel on the rack. “Did you find him yet?”

“Nope he’s gone.” Alex stood back up and took the glass back to the kitchen.

“He wasn’t a real big one.” I said trying to make losing him a little more palatable.

“It’s still a spider that’s now lost in my bathroom.” He said as he put the glass back in the cabinet.

“All right.” I said as I turned to go back to the bathroom. “I’ll go look again.”

I went back and searched the entire room. When I couldn’t find him I went to Alex bedroom door and knocked.

“Come in.”

I cracked the door open enough to see him sitting on his couch looking at his phone. “I’m really sorry.” I apologized again. “I can’t find him.”

“It’s okay.” He looked up from his screen. “I’m sure he’ll turn up.”

I went back to the living room feeling guilty for losing him. I was sitting on the couch reading my book when I saw Alex go into the kitchen and grab a glass.

“What are you up to?” I asked as he headed to his bathroom.

“I’m getting a drink of water.” He said as he closed the bathroom door.

A few minutes later he came out of the bathroom his hand held over the glass.

“Did you catch him?” I asked as I stood up and followed him to the back door.

“Can you open the door for me?”

“Sure!” I opened the door and stood back so he could go first.

Alex went to the railing of the porch, took his hand off the top of the glass, tipped the glass on its side and we both watched as the spider scurried out of the glass and onto the railing.

“Is that the same one from before?” I asked.

“I sure hope so.” He said as he picked up the glass, went back in the house and put the glass in the dishwasher.

“Why did you say you were getting a drink of water when you were really catching the spider?” Alex laughed as he walked past me patting my shoulder as he headed for his room. “I was afraid you were going to offer to help again!” He called over his shoulder.