There I was with a large box filled with other folded boxes on my way to the recycling station of my building. I was alone and I could hear the mechanisms of the elevator heading my way when an unusual buzzing noise Interrupted the mechanical sound of the elevator and I noticed a huge bee at the top of the closed elevated door climbing out from the elevator shaft. He was black and furry with thick arms and legs, and he fell to the terrazzo floor before me with a noticeable thud. He was not dead, but he sounded angry with his antennas swirling around trying to get his bearings while I was the only living thing in the hallway to vent his frustrations on! A panicked self preservative instinct overcame me, and I decided to smash him with my box before he fully came to his senses. I did this and he laid still now. But was he dead or playing possum? When I had left would he drag his broken body to my front door pointing his stinger at it to give a clue to his bee buddies or bee detectives, that would come to investigate the murder? Would I return home to find the chalked outline of where the bee had finally died scratched onto the polished terrazzo floor? It is well known that bees seek revenge, and they are a specialized society possibly they had a division of hit bees that would come to settle the score? God forbid I thought possibly I killed the Queen Bee but that seemed unlikely as she would have been protected. Such are the trials and tribulations of responsible recycling!
The next day passed uneventfully although throughout the entire day I had a feeling of foreboding. That evening there was a knock at the door combined with the sound of a terrible hacking cough. I opened the door to find an immense Bee blotting out any light behind him in the hallway as he coughed incessantly while trying to communicate between his gasps for air “HONEY, HONEY “ Which I eventually deciphered and ran to the cubbord frantically pulling out three attached plastic bear shaped bottles of organic honey and giving it to the enormous Bee. With his appendage he grabbed the closest bottle tore off the lid and swallowed the entire bottle in three large gulps.
“Ahh That feels much better!” said the bee enforcer.
“Can I help you?” I stammered.
“You already have” buzzed the bee.
“You were very lucky to have that honey on hand even though it was stolen from some hard-working bees somewhere who was just trying to make an honest living”.
It was hard to tell when the giant insectivore was mad or when he was content, sarcastic or simply doing his job.
“I was sent here today to either kill or maim you for killing my little brother but I have decided to spare you, however if you ever retell this story make sure to embellish it with a good deal of violence on my part!”said the bee.
“Oh thank you I will be sure to do that. “I expostulated.
“I am going to hold on to these two additional bottles of honey just in case my cough comes back as I deal with an inordinate amount of pollen, grasses, beeswax and such,” said the super bee,” Oh, and stock up on that organic honey it is top shelf as I may stop by again if necessary for more honey in exchange for sparing your life” buzzed the BEE ENFORCER.
“Thank you again for sparing my life and I will be sure to embellish our encounter leaving all who hear my tale wishing to never make your acquaintance in the future, and I will never raise my hand to a bee again! “I exclaimed.
The bee said nothing else and walked away with a quick wave lumbering down the stairs and exiting the building never to be seen again.
Jim- June 25’
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