Thinking about the cicada shells on my grandma's trees reminded me of another story. Perhaps the bug doesn't fall far from the tree.
My dad's nickname was June. That's about all his parents and brothers ever called him. Most people thought it was because he was a junior. His name was [Dad's Name], Jr.
So "junior" was shortened to "June." But that wasn't it!
As a kid, my dad entertained himself by catching June Bugs, a type of beetle, and tying a string to one leg. Then he would toss it up and let it fly. It was like he had a bug on a leash. A living kite. Just letting it fly around. Apparently, they make a roaring sound with their wings. A quick search of the innernets revealed that my dad was not the only kid with this pastime.
As with all childish things, my dad grew out of this phase, and moved on to a nickname his friends used for him: Car Tire. That's because one of them saw him rolling a car tire down the road with a stick. Not sure what that was all about. A more grown-up pastime, perhaps.
In the days before technology, kids had to find their own recreational activities.
4 comments:
I kind of feel sorry for the bugs but I guess they weren't being hurt. I rememeber well the days when kids had to amuse themselves outside the house, before hand-held games and mobile phones with all the bells and whistles.
River,
I don't know how much of a brain a bug has, or if it feels pain. This activity wouldn't be any worse than being eaten by a bird or dog or cat, or squashed under somebody's heel, or shot with some neurotoxin insecticide. If a leg pulled off, the bug still has five more!
Just think of the dexterity needed to tie a string to a tiny insect leg! He could have been a neuro surgeon!
Kathy,
Yeah, except for the whole medical school thing! He only made it through one semester at Mizzou as a freshman. Southwestern Bell became his lifetime career.
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