what about the time the ladybug landed on you?
yesterday
play the audio below if you’d like to hear me read the story to you.
I hate how when I’m traveling on a leaf in the middle of the day, there’s always a man in a tree talking over my favorite song playing in my head. A ladybug is sunning herself on the tip of the leaf stem. She reads my annoyance.
“Just ignore him,” she tells me.
She’s wearing tiny Ray-Bans over her compound buggy bug eyes. The air up here feels hot and winged, and I worry that my unruly hair will get matted beyond repair. There’s a blue feather on the leaf I’m riding, and next to it is a morning dew drop. In the reflection, I can see happy hours and overstuffed pillows. I have so much to do. It’s overwhelming. If I could fly, I could get more done. Why aren’t I doing more right now? Why is Ladybug also sitting here doing nothing?
“If you can fly, why are you here?” I ask Ladybug. I see a thin gold vein on this frond poking out. I want to pull it but I’m afraid my magic carpet leaf will unravel underneath us like the ugly Hannukah sweater I wore at Rick’s party last year. The one with the Menorah and the words below, Let’s get lit! I hate that sweater. It’s too bulky, too punny, and it itches. But I don’t hate this flying petal. I can’t afford to hate it. I need it.
Ladybug lowers her glasses and sits up on her wispy antenna, looking me straight in the eye. At least, I think she is. It’s kinda hard to tell.
“We all need to rest our wings now and again, my child,” she says, “you should try it sometime.”
Ladybug lies herself back again, and I admire her crisp black dots and her shiny red body glistening in the sun. I want to tell her about all the things I need to do and how it’s hard to rest when your mind keeps talking and that I know how she’s a sacred creature representing protection and good fortune and I know she’s a wish granter symbolizing hope and rebirth and maybe even bringing messages from the great beyond and I know I should just listen to her and close my eyes for a bit but I can’t stop wondering and worrying
I hope Ladybug remembered to apply sunscreen.