Manny’s Moans – The Grasshopper
Ruth and I were sitting around the fire pit enjoying the beautiful Las Vegas evening. A grasshopper jumped up on the rim of the pit and spent about an hour just wandering around on the rim. It would go around in one direction then the other as if it was communicating with us.
This is a strange situation since there are few bugs in Las Vegas, and not much grass for this guy to hop on. I felt honored that he was spending time with us. So much time that I gave him a very novel name – Hoppy.
Ruth went in early and I stayed to finish my glass of scotch. Hoppy continued his meandering on the rim of the fire pit. I finished my scotch and stood to leave. He approached to say goodnight, I guessed. I said goodnight as I began turning the gas off to put the fire out. He jumped into the fire!
I was shocked! He jumped into the fire! It was on purpose. I witnessed a grasshopper suicide. He jumped into the fire! My reaction was to turn the gas all the way so he would burn quickly. I wanted to minimize his suffering.
I went into the house in shock. “He jumped into the fire,” I said to Ruth. She couldn’t believe it either. The next morning I thought that it must be a dream. The burned carcass verified that it was true. I researched the internet to find out why a grasshopper would do that. It seems there is a parasite that somehow gets into a grasshopper and makes it jump into water to drown. Its larva then feed on the now dead and floating grasshopper.
So what is the lesson in all of this? I have no idea! As for me, I will always wonder why. I will add this incident to all the other unexplained incidents that we all experience. This traumatic incident will live among the things we all must accept when we cannot change them. Be very selective with your list of things that cannot be changed thus must be accepted.
Ruth said that Mr. Hoppy just got tired of listening to me. She also said that, in light of that, she thoroughly understood his actions. I will add that statement to my Accept List, not my Change List.
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