a lizard and a banana peel.

I hate lizards. Maybe hate is too strong a word. Ok fine, I strongly dislike lizards.

Well, last week one tried to befriend me - much to my dismay. I was about to open the car door to put baby girl in her car seat when I noticed mr. creeper {a.k.a. the lizard] sitting on the door handle. I was startled - most slimy things that crawl have that effect on me - so, I jumped and I probably screamed. I know, I know, ridiculous. I realize they're pretty harmless and there's really no legitimate reason to dislike them as much I do, but don't judge me - they creep me out. I shooed it away and instead of jumping ship entirely, he relocated to the stern cabin and hung out on my spoiler. No big deal, right? Especially since I was about to get in the car and drive away...wrong.

We made it to the store but mr. creeper was still hanging out on my trunk. He survived the drive across town! Who cares, just let him hang out there? Yeah, no big deal except for the fact that I needed baby girl's stroller which just so happened to be in the trunk. Go figure. I then tried to shoo him away again, except this time he wouldn't budge. So, like any logical minded person, I decided I should throw something at him to dislodge and relocate him to the ground where he belonged. Genius. Maybe not.

The only thing in my car I was okay with parting with to launch his way was a banana peel. Perfect. Ready, set, go. Bull's-eye - I hit mr. creeper dead on. Except not literally. The banana peel, now consuming him completely didn't even faze him, not even the tiniest bit. In fact, he just sat there with the banana peel smothering him and he enjoyed it as if it was a soothing wrap. Ughh. I then did what any person freaked out by lizards would do. I ignored that I needed my stroller and carried baby girl while shopping - apparently my arms needed a work out.

Returning to the car when we were done, mr. creeper was still there except he ditched the banana peel and was now lounging in the shade of my spoiler, with his tail wrapped around his body {his position reminded me of a little house pup nuzzled on his favorite spot on the living room floor}. It was almost sweet - he'd remodeled my trunk into his new home. Was mr. creeper starting to grow on me? Did I seriously think he was cute? Gross! I was facing an internal war - how could something I detested actually have my possible interest? But rather than contemplating my new found opinion of mr. creeper right then and there, baby girl needed a nap so we got in the car and drove back home.

When we arrived at home, the banana peel was still on the spoiler except his little companion, mr. creeper, was nowhere to be found. Sad face. Was I surprised? Slightly and also semi-disappointed. I had wasted so much of my energy on the little guy, detesting his minuscule guts, and right when I decide to give him a chance - the jerk decides to abandon ship, peace-out, and leave.

Sounds familiar? In dating situations, it's happened more times than any of us can count. It's classic. Guy chases girl, girl's not interested. After guy's chasing continues, girl warms up to guy. Except guy's suddenly no longer interested and girl is left alone. We've all seen it. And just for the record, girl's are guilty of the same - I'm sure in my dating days I played mr. creeper's role a time or six.

Well, this married woman was played by a lizard and only has a banana peel to show for that failed relationship. Lovely.

Moral of the story? I'm laughing at myself - I'm silly and I'm ridiculous and I'm laughing. Need a good pick me up? Find something silly about yourself and simply laugh. When we laugh at ourselves we cure the disease of taking ourselves too seriously, we heal the wounds of personal disappointment, and we experience a self-appreciation worth indulging in.

Happy Laughing Tuesday!

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