In Which I Make a Fool of Myself on the Corner of Main and Center Streets in Pleasant Grove

Otherwise known as: The Incident of the Yellow Jacket in my Car

I have a very distinct fear of being stuck by a bee. Or really, anything with a stinger, I'm not picky. So you can imagine my dismay at finding a yellow jacket in my car today. The story goes as follows:


Hooray, school's out! I can go home! I thought. I walked out of Greenwood, through the front doors, past a few children whose parents had forgotten to pick them up on time, and into my car. I sat down, buckled my seat belt, and turned on the AC full blast (it's 80 degrees today!).

All of a sudden, I heard a buzzing noise behind my head. Thinking it was just a fly, I turned my head. Nope, not a fly. YELLOW JACKET on my rear windowsill!! Aaaaahhhhh I screamed inside my head. I let out a little squeal and immediately rolled down my window and jumped out of my car. I ran around to open all 4 doors (so the jacket would have to get out) and realized they were locked. Crap. I unlocked the doors, opened them all, and saw the yellow jacket fly out of the passenger door.

Or so I thought.

I hopped back in the car, turned it off, closed all the windows, and listened closely. No buzzing. Phew, I survived, I thought. What a funny story to tell my mother tonight.

I got home without incident, locked my door, and went inside. I started working on some school stuff. My sister in law, Jen, called me asking if I could pick up some things for her from a little print shop here in PG. Since she works in Santaquin, she wouldn't be able to pick it up before they closed.

I got in my car, turned up the radio, sang along to Lee Brice (love that song!) and reached Pro Digital Photos in no time at all. Picked up Jen's envelopes, waited FOREVER for a break in traffic to back out of the parking spot, and left ProDigital. All of a sudden, there it is. Right in my face!!!

you guessed it.  It was that stinking yellow jacket again. It kept flying around my face and my car. By this point, I was at the stop sign at the intersection of Center Street and Main Street in PG. Right in the middle of town. Of course. I hurriedly turned right, pulled over, and literally leaped out of my car.

Same problem with doors being locked. I unlocked the doors, opened the driver and passenger doors. Then I proceeded to plead with the yellow jacket. Out loud. Keep in mind, I'm in the middle of a busy intersection in PG. "Please get out of my car! Please, please!" I finally just decided to shoo it out, so I grabbed a napkin and started shooing.

Well, the darn thing came flying right at me, so, naturally, I screamed and ducked. It flew out of my car, so I slammed the door and started running back to the driver's side. As I was running, I just knew that it was following above my head, so I ran while ducking back to my seat. Slammed my door and took a deep breath. It was gone. Finally.