Bye Bye Butterfly

I was walking from Rite Aid today and as I passed the park I thought about all the times I went there with my cousin when I was a kid. We played Dark Shadows and he was always Barnabas Collins. I would be whoever the victim of the day was. Anyhow, when we weren't playing Dark Shadows we looked for caterpillars. There is a little stone ledge around the whole park and that was the best place to find them. Sometimes we brought a few home in a leaf filled shoebox with air holes poked in it.

I have not seen a caterpillar in years. In fact, I am not even sure my son, Andrew, has ever seen a live one…. and he is 14.

There used to be a, ACME where the Rite Aid now stands, right across the street from the park. One time I was there with my mom and there were so many caterpillars they were even inside the ACME.

When we left the store they came. It seemed like a whole army of them although at the time but it was probably only one or two. I am talking about the spray trucks.

There was a phone booth.... another thing you don't see anymore... right outside the ACME and my mom threw me in there and slammed the door shut so the "poison gas" wouldn't get me. I remember when they drove down my street. My mom ran through the house slamming all the windows closed so the poison gas wouldn't get in. I remember the same thing happening down the shore.

Whoever drove the truck.... and his boss.... and the guy who decided it needed to be done.... all probably have kids and grandkids who they take to the same park. It's so sad that they can't bring home shoe boxes of caterpillars... and there are no more butterflies to chase.

I thought about planting a butterfly garden in my yard.... but the poor little things would have to fly miles and miles go get here.... if any came at all.