Petting Katydids

Katy lies
You could see it in her eyes

Yesterday afternoon I was walking home from the grocery store. It was the same grocery store where I got to pet a tiger-stripe swallowtail. The street was quiet, shadowed by tall trees along both sidewalks. It was a block away from where I saw the season’s first monarch.

As I walked along, from behind me a big bug flew past my head so close that I heard its wings thrumming. I instinctively ducked aside. The bug flew in front of me and it was so big that not only could I easily follow it through the air but I could tell what kind of bug it was while it was flying.

It was a katydid.

It looked just like this picture I found on the net.

It landed on a tree right at my eye-level a few feet away from me. I walked over to get a close look at the pretty bug. Very green. Looked almost exactly like a leaf sticking to the side of the tree.

And it was big. I extended my left index finger to assess the size of the bug. The katydid was as long as my index finger from tip to knuckle.

With my finger out there to measure the bug, I thought back to my encounter with the tiger stripe swallowtail. So I very, very gently touched the katydid’s back and stroked down, petting it from shoulder to tail.

The katydid tolerated one stroke, but as my finger got to its tail it opened its wings, pushed off the tree and flew down the block to the next tree.

I didn’t follow the pretty bug. I’d gotten to take a close look at it. I’d gotten to pet it. That was pretty cool.

Bug-wise, this has been a good summer.

Then I took my groceries and went home and listened to the cool song about what Katy did from the CD with a picture of a katydid on it.

Katy tried
I was halfway crucified
I was on the other side
Of no tomorrow

You walked in
And my life began again
Just when I'd spent the last piaster
I could borrow

All night long
We would sing that stupid song
And every word we sang
I knew was true

Are you with me Doctor Wu
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
Are you crazy are you high
Or just an ordinary guy
Have you done all you can do
Are you with me Doctor

Don't seem right
I've been strung out here all night
I've been waiting for the taste
You said you'd bring to me

Biscayne Bay
Where the Cuban gentlemen sleep all day
I went searching for the song
You used to sing to me

Katy lies
You could see it in her eyes
But imagine my surprise
When I saw you

Are you with me Doctor Wu
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
She is lovely yes she's sly
And you're an ordinary guy
Has she finally got to you

Can you hear me Doctor
Are you with me Doctor

Can you hear me Doctor
Are you with me Doctor