Gary Nunn wrote: >Dave Land wrote.. >>It's a funny thing. The front of my brain tells me that most >>of the spiders I encounter are quite harmless. Something much, >>much further back in my brain makes me want to run away, >>screaming like a little girl. >I realize that my fear of spiders is irrational, but unfortunately, >the realization alone doesn't seem to help me at all.
A young woman I work with has paralyzing arachnophobia, but she's also something of a tree-hugger, and absolutely refuses to kill them. But I found out sort of the hard way... One day, early in the morning at the office, I heard this horrified shriek and a plaintive cry of "Is anyone here?" from the ladies' room. So I hustle my butt over there to see what was up, and find the young woman in question, wide-eyed with terror, pointing to the thumb knuckle-sized spider on the wall. Normally, I'm a catch-and-release guy with spiders, but I figured given the current situation, a quick squishing is probably in order. However, she tells me I *can't* kill it. I *have* to take it outside. And standing there, with the paper towel in my hand, looking at her in astonishment. And she just miserably says, "It's a living thing." So I encourage the eight-legged fear monger onto the towel, and put him outside. After the incident, I asked her what she does at home, on the occasions when her husband (a member of the band Biohazard, of all things) is on the road and a spider happens to be in their apartment. Her reply? "I just huddle in the corner until it goes away." I'd never before been personal witness to a truly dominating fear like that. I have to wonder what part of our brains makes us to frightened to even think when confronted with what to most people is no big deal, especially since she insists there's no incident in her past that caused it. Maybe I should have taken Psych 101 as an elective in college instead of Shakespeare. :-) Jim Storyteller Maru _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web! _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
