Spring has sprung, finally, and once again the sun, warm temps and impending end of the school year are with us which are certainly reasons to smile. However, this time of year also brings with it some considerable downsides. Each year at this time nature unleashes upon our campus some of her most annoying, bothersome and dangerous creations. Sure chiggers, mites, katydids, gnats, wooly-worms, spiders, centipedes, ticks, lice, bees and especially crabs are incommodious, but nature has a far more unpleasant creature to let loose on our campus. Even if you're not allergic to them, they certainly can take away from your enjoyment of an otherwise perfect sunny spring day and ruin it in just matter of seconds.
They almost always come in swarms; rarely do you ever see any of these creepy-crawlies by themselves. Their species has a strong 'pack mentality' and they seek safety in numbers as it helps them hunt. They spend their days buzzing around campus with no real regard for human life, vivaciously racing around campus and the neighboring areas with a startling lack of direction. You can't help but look at these unusual creatures and wonder what God's plan is for them. Do they know their purpose? Do they even have one? Do they have any other desires in life except to eat, sleep, defecate, procreate and of course, buzz around campus? Their pack mentality is fascinating. You have to wonder how a leader of the pack is chosen and why he leads them in the random patterns he or she does.
Sometimes I look at them and admire their splendor -- they come in such stark, vivid colors ranging from bumblebee yellow to royal blue. Sure they are problematic and troublesome, but much like the rose with both her thorns and appealing bloom, you can best appreciate the aesthetics from afar.
They are among the loudest creatures you will encounter in nature, often making unnecessary high pitched squeals in addition to their continual, monotone hum as they travel. Their sound is distinct and unpleasant. You know without mistake when this creature is around, you can usually hear them before you see them and because they travel in packs, their sound is multiplied.
These creatures can be dangerous. Coming in to contact with them can often be fatal, both for you and them. Despite the often fatal results of coming in contact with a human, much like a honey bee, they rarely make an effort to avoid such incidents. Perhaps God did not see fit to give these simple creatures much thinking or reasoning power, instinct and nature seem to drive them with little or no independent thought to speak of.
Although Ball State has in the past taken action to ensure we are safe from rodents, many insects and even mildew, these dangerous creatures still haunt campus during the warm months, buzzing around and doing as they please because no amount of Raid, De-Con or Off will protect us from these intruders.
Yes, it is spring time and we're just going to have to deal with Crotch Rockets for another summer.
Write to Robb at
robb614@aol.com
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