Spiders have always been my nemesis, and judging from some of the memes I see on Facebook, I am far from alone! Arachnaphobia is a real thing… though I would not classify my dislike for the insects quite that severe.

I know it isn’t fair to blame your mother for all of your quirks, but in this case, I feel I am justified in that assessment. I vividly recall one summer day when all of us kids were playing in the living room, and all of a sudden, we heard the most blood-curdling scream known to man coming from the kitchen. I was sure my mom had just sliced her finger off or something!

We all darted to the kitchen to find my mom in the middle of the kitchen table, screaming, with the most terrified look I had ever seen. And there in the middle of the kitchen was a large tarantula spider. Yes…a tarantula! Needless to say my brothers and I darted out of the room like our feet were on fire!

My dad, however, grabbed an empty canning jar (at least I think that’s what it was, but after more than 50 years my memory isn’t always accurate) and managed to capture the creature. He took it out the back door and - well - I’m not real sure what he did with it to be honest. My assumption is he smashed it, as my poor mom would have undoubtedly had a heart attack had she encountered the beast again!

I was never fond of spiders anyway, and that incident just cemented the despise I already had for them. I held to the philosophy that the only good spider was a dead spider.

Many years later, I had my own encounter with one of the nasty creatures when I was working at KCNI/KBBN radio. I’m not sure if Dave has ever heard this story or not, but I was the weekend sign-on DJ for several years and was at the station by myself on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Back then, things weren’t quite as automated as they are now, and bathroom breaks had to be timed just right. I made my mad dash to the facilities while the news was playing - I knew I had four minutes.

I was right on schedule when I opened the bathroom door to find what looked to me like a giant 8-legged creature hovering in the hall between the bathroom and the studio. I immediately slammed the door shut, my heart racing, trying to figure out what the heck I was going to do! I couldn’t have dead air - I had to get back in the studio.

So I mustered all of the courage within me, removed my shoe, and slowly opened the door. Sure enough, he was still there. I reared back and smacked that poor thing with so much force I nearly drove him through the floor. With my heart still pounding and nearly out of breath from fright, I got back in front of the microphone just in time…”In other local news,...” These days, I have mellowed, as God chose to give me a creature-loving son and husband who believe all living things have a right to be here. I have witnessed both of them - from the other room of course - put their hand down in front of a spider to carefully relocate it from inside to outside the house.

I have also become aware of the benefits of having some around. They eat mosquitoes and other insects. Therefore, if I see one in my yard, I leave it alone. But the little buggar best not cross the threshold!