Thursday, May 26, 2011

Once Every 13 Years

Nope, this isn't about a "Same Time, Next Year" kind of romance. Thankfully. Instead, I want to talk about the kind of event that can add local flavor to a story, to either humorous or serious effcts. To set the stage, watch this quick video from NBC News.

Yep, my fair city - along with lots of others - is experiencing the kind of invasion that appears only once every 13 years - cicadas.

Now, you can bemoan this, weeping in your coffee and keeping your windows closed (highly advisable). Or you can laugh and embrace it, like the little girl in the video. And here's a touch of trivia for those of you who know me from the Abingdon side of things: Joel Anderson, he of the posters, etc. in the video, is one of Abingdon's cover designers.

Cicadas are harmless, but they're about 2 inches long, fat, and they fly fast. So they HURT if they hit you, especially in the face. Having one unexpectedly zoom into your car as you're careening down the interstate at 70mph is not a happy moment (she says, trying not to remember...). On the other hand, watching tourists suddenly try to tap dance around their little bodies on the sidewalk is a whole new show in Music City.

One worthly of a poster. Or a really funny scene in the next book.

7 comments:

EllenToo said...

Oh how well I know about cicadas since I live in an area where they swarm. The noise I can live with but coming in contact with them or having them in the house ~ they're fast little things ~ YUCK!!!

Sharon said...

Tap dance on Broadway! Ha Ha Ha!! I love it and can picture it so clearly...

Teressa Ryan said...

Luv your idea to add the cicadas and tourists in your next book. LOL!

Ramona Richards said...

Oh, I'm doing some brainstorming now. Thanks, ladies, for stopping by!

Liz Johnson said...

Ramona--it's not just the tourists! :) I've been known to dance a little jig to get away from them. And leaving lunch yesterday with a group of 3 other women, we had quite a thrill when one joined us in the car. I've never seen windows roll down so fast. :) Not to fear. We all survived. Barely. ;)

Ramona Richards said...

Liz, that's a riot! Lisa Young posted a video on FB of a six-story wall covered in the little buggers. Deafening...and creepy. And my friend Teri refered to the cicada tap dance as a "bug-a-loo." You have to laugh.

Jackie S. said...

Oh my, I can relate.....our first experience with them....moved here 4 yrs. ago. For past 5 wks. they have been so noisy...gotten better last 3 days. However, it was no fun being outside..due to their noise and bumping into us. We are in the country in NE Georgia.