Along Came A Spider...

And It Sat Down Beside Her!

Jeebus, but I hates me some spiders...

I don't kill 'em out of hand.  I do understand just how useful they are in keeping the pest insect numbers under control.  As creepy and disgusting as they are, I try to maintain a "live and let live" policy.

Until those bastards cross the line!

I'm riding the shuttle bus in from remote parking the other morning, when I feel this odd tickle up on my head.

My hair needs a trim, so I assume it's just loose strands blowing in the breeze, so I reach up to pat things in place, and this black hairy spider leaps down and lands on my shirt collar.

Looks like this guy, and would easily fit on your thumbnail:

I'm freaking out and swatting at it, and it makes a beeline for the dark cavern of my shirt pocket.  Somehow, I bat it onto the seat in front of me, and swipe it onto the floor.  Or so I thought.

About the time my heart rate settles back down, here's the spider again.  He's on the seat back in front of me, and every time the lady in that seat leans back, the spider's reaching upward with his little front legs trying to grab onto her hair.

I have to admit, I had a couple of moments when I watched the spider reach for that hair and thought to myself, "I'd kinda like to see how this plays itself out..."   but common courtesy kicked in right in the nick of time.

I tapped her on the shoulder and said "Lean forward!  There's a spider on the seat back!"

By the time she peeled herself off the shuttle's front window, I'd given the spider a solid thump, enough to curl its legs up and roll off the seat. 

Was it dead?  I hope so.  If not, it's probably decided to go for smaller game from here on out.