COCHRAN COCKROACH, CAUGHT ON FLYPAPER Part 3 of 4 Parts

Cochran might have noticed the flypaper laying across the countertop if his nature wasn’t so skitterish. Or at least he might have smelled the wonderfully sweet aroma identifying the danger. But the insult he was tossing over his shoulder to Lazybones was too good and it had distracted him from self-protection.

And a well-deserved insult it was, thought Cochran as he recalled taking a flying leap over the platter, seeking a crumb of delicacy. Because he was looking over his wings at the oaf, he missed his target and went kerplunk! right onto the sticky.

At first he didn’t realized his dilemma, thinking he’d landed in a piece of leftover syrup-covered waffle or a crumb of honey-dipped donut left over from the humans breakfast meal.

But it wasn’t a delicious morsel he landed on. The humans had left a partially unrolled piece of flypaper on the counter instead of hanging it up on the hook where it was meant to catch the pesky flies competing with the cockroaches for sustenance. And Cochran found himself smack dab in the center of insect superglue meant to trap other insects! What a revolting circumstance!

The cockroaches had all but disappeared as beams of sunlight danced about and reflected off of mirrors.

Cochran had nothing to do but watch the movement of the long line of black warriors marching into the room from a crack in the outside wall. Dumb critters, they were. Their slow movements were so predictable, so orderly! He’d seen them at other times, carrying dead insects up dirt mounds and taking them into a cavernous hole in the ground. Mostly, however, the kept out of each other’s way---cockroaches hiding during the ant’s workday, ants returning to their hills at night.

Today, he’d have the unwelcome opportunity to study their behavior. Perhaps their activity could be a distraction.

They marched closer, moving toward that moldy pizza crust, and directly toward the flypaper.

“Watch out!!!” Cochran communicated in a warning tone, albeit he didn’t know why, except that NO insect deserved being in his situation.

Antsy, the lead ant, glanced toward Cochran as their ant column neared, changing its direction as the warning was heeded.

Then Antsy looked at Cochran curiously.

“What are you doing out in the light?” she asked him. “And so still….”

“I’m stuck, obviously,” Cochran replied sarcastically. “I’m going crazy not able to move!!! I’m going to die here, and none of my friends care. They’ve all abandoned me!! I’M GOING TO DIE HERE, ALL ALONE!!!!!”