Mrs. Watkins sat uneasily in her seat appearing to listen to Rev. Haynes as he expounded the Scriptures that Sunday night. She always enjoyed his preaching for he was humorous but yet profound. This night, however, she was encountering an experience that had nothing to do with the message. All was well with her until the largest church lizard came to rest on the wall just above her. She had kept an eye on him all night as he preyed on the flying insects which were silly enough to venture too close.
Ever since the time when one of these such reptiles had jumped on her, she was never at ease with them in her vicinity. She was really uncomfortable now. She was unable to move further along the seat because of the people sitting next to her. She did not want to disturb them because they seemed quite intent on the message and yet she was especially terrified by the monster poised above her. Unable to do anything about her predicament, she tried as much as possible to remain composed. She kept one eye on the reptile and the other on the preacher.
Suddenly the creature raised its head. She was sure it was going to jump. It appeared to stare at her with such deliberation that she became afraid to look at it directly. She sat and prayed in her seat that this monster would not jump. Suddenly an idea struck her. With all the unconvincing courage she could muster, she decided to give the creature one of her sharp looks. This look had always worked with her Sunday school class when a youngster was not paying attention. This strategy had absolutely no effect on the lizard. He just stayed there and stared at her. She tried rolling her eyes and bearing her teeth but the creature stood its ground. With that she had not the slightest doubt that this creature of which she was so afraid, had definite intentions and those intentions were on her.
“But why?” she wondered. What was there about her that of all the congregation, it had picked out her? Why did it have to choose her wall for a resting place?
“Perhaps,” she thought, “therein lies the answer.”
Mrs. Watkins was a creature of habit. She operated by her own set routine and allowed nothing or anyone to alter it. Every time she entered church she sat in the same seat. For over thirty years she had done this. She became so obsessed with this practice that if anyone was occupying that seat when she arrived, he or she was forced to move. More often than not, however, she was always early enough to procure her seat before anybody else took it. The members knew her so well that they would always say, even to strangers, “You had better not sit there, that seat is reserved.” At this time, however, any seat in the church would be preferable to the one in which she was now sitting.
The duel of stares continued. She could no longer concentrate on what Rev. Haynes was saying for all her attention was now focused on the reptile on the wall. Needless to say, she was also the centre of attraction for the lizard. Their locked eyes and made four and neither blinked nor was in anyway distracted from the object of their intent. As she looked steadily at the lizard, it appeared to grow bigger and bigger. It started to crawl along the wall nearer and nearer, the effect causing her heart to pump faster and faster and louder and louder. She could not believe her eyes. “Was this monster growing right before my eyes?” she asked herself, her fear building to panicky heights. She touched the member beside her trying discreetly to get her attention but the member was too absorbed in the service to notice her. On her second attempt , she was reprimanded with, “Be quiet! I don’t want to miss this point.” It was as though this were some orchestrated plan to teach her a lesson. She considered her options carefully and as she deliberated, the monster on the wall crawled closer and closer.
The lizard stopped. It lifted its head high showing a yellowish bag beneath its mouth. It was as if it were propping on the bag. Suddenly, as if by magic, the bag disappeared. The creature rose up on its legs with its tail lifting high in the air and then there was an ear splitting scream, the compliments of Sister Watkins. The service came to an abrupt end and all eyes stared at one object. Sister Watkins was in a frantic state as she tried to evict the unwelcome visitor which had landed in her hair. So much was her fright, that she soon passed out. When she regained consciousness she was lying in one of the pews. The first words she uttered was, “Why me? Why did he choose me?”
Having exhausted his night’s supply of food, the lizard had spied a lone insect flying over Sister Watkins’ head. Patiently he had waited until the insect had alighted then he made his advance. Each time he moved the insect would start flying around again. He had inched closer and closer until he was near enough to spring on his prey. As soon as the bat alighted again, the lizard sprang. The rest is history.
Sister Watkins no longer sits in that seat. The seat is no longer reserved and in addition Sister Watkins stays away from walls. The next time you sit near the wall in church, look up. There might be a monster above you.
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