It was first thing in the morning and I was rushing around the house trying to get ready for work. I grabbed my bags and water bottle off the chair and headed to the front door calling out “Good-by!” to whoever was in earshot when my son Alex came around the corner.
“Be careful! There’s a praying mantis at the front door.”
I stopped and looked at him. “Are you kidding me?”
Alex shook his head and opened the front door for me, pointing down at the doorstep where a praying mantis was peeking up at me, one of his arms reaching out towards the door. “I saw him when I was moving my car this morning so you could get your car out.”
“Well, hello there!” I said as I stepped over our new little friend and onto the front porch. I turned to face him again. “You’re a pretty big fella.” I said with admiration as I bent down to get a closer look.
He was almost six inches long with a mixture of green and brown coloring. “He’s either getting ready to blend in with the fall colors or he’s getting ready to mate and lay the egg sack.” I said as I looked up at Alex.
“Which one do you think it is?” Alex was still standing in the house looking down at the praying mantis that was trying to pull itself up the step to get into our house.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not sure.”
“Should we just leave him here?” Alex said pointing to the doorstep.
I looked around and sighed. My husband Steven truck was already gone but who knows if anyone else was coming to the front door and might not see our new little friend and accidentally step on him.
“I think we should move him.” I dropped my bags on the porch and looked around for a stick or twig.
“I thought you were running late for work?” Alex said as he stepped over the praying mantis and stood on the porch with me.
“I am. But I can’t go to work knowing this little guy might get hurt.” I was going down the steps and into our shrubs looking for anything that I could get him to climb onto.
“I can do it.” Alex said as he came up behind me. “You go to work.”
“It’s okay.” I saw a twig sturdy enough to do the job. “Let’s try this.” I said holding it up as we both went back to the porch.
I held the twig in front of where he or she wanted to walk, hoping they’d climb on and it could be on their way to safety. “Oh, come on!” I cried after several attempts only to have it sidestep the twig.
“I think he really wants to come in the house.” Alex laughed.
I looked at my watch and started to feel frustrated that the twig wasn’t working.
“Why don’t you let me try?” Alex asked as he reached for the twig.
“Fine!” I sighed handing it to him. I began gathering up my bags and water bottle. “But I don’t think it’s going to work.”
Alex opened the front door.
“What are you doing?” I cried.
“He seems to want to come inside.” He said as he laid the twig on the doorstep.
“But it can’t!” I cried again as I saw the praying mantis slowly walk onto the twig.
“See.” Alex held up the twig with the praying mantis clinging to it. “Where should I put him?”
I reached over and closed the front door. “Well, certainly not inside the house.” I said with a laugh.
“How about over here in the bushes?” Alex walked down the front steps with me following.
He gently laid the stick on the bush and backed away looking at me.
I looked at my watch again. “Well, if I don’t get any red lights and everyone goes the speed limit I should still be at work on time.” I headed for my car. “Good luck to you.” I called over my shoulder.
“Who are you saying that to?” Alex asked with a laugh as he headed for the front door.
“I guess all of us!” I called back. “Me, getting to work on time. You, for a good day at work and our little friend…” I tossed my bags in the back seat. “Just a great day doing praying mantis stuff.”
Slice of Life 