We all have something (or a list-full of somethings) that just irks us. I'm not talking about your uncle's tendency to tilt his head to the left when he talks to people (trust me, that drives everyone crazy) or your somewhat rational fear of pigs. No, I'm talking about that thing that makes you want to wrinkle your nose but not leave the room, scoot a few feet away but certainly not run. I'm talking about that thing that
you have good reason to dislike, yet when you explain it to your friend, she will usually just laugh. Yes, you may be alone in your aversion to that object, but I am here to tell you that you are not alone in these feelings. Here are a couple of my strange aversions.
1. Ladybugs. I was 14-years-old, naive to the deception we so often find in this world. It was a warm spring day, and I was speed walking to get to algebra on time. Suddenly, I felt a pinch on my arm, like the prick of a needle. Instinctively, I swatted at my arm, looking down to see the source of the irritation. I watched in shock as a red insect fell to the ground, then bent over to verify that I saw what I thought I saw. The insect was in fact a ladybug. I know what you're thinking because I have heard the same thing every time I have told this story, "But ladybugs don't bite?" Seriously? You'll question my sanity before believing that maybe, sometimes, ladybugs bite? These foul creatures go around making everyone believe they are these cute, harmless creatures, and then one day, one bites me. Ladybugs are the con-artists of the insect world. And just so you know, I've done my research.
Here's an article about Asian ladybugs, a more agressive species of ladybug that is found throughout the United States. They bite.
Ok, so this story exaggerates how I feel about ladybugs a little bit. I don't HATE them. My feelings are closer to annoyance. It just kind of bugs me that I grew up thinking they would never bite me, and then one did. I just don't trust them. So when I see a ladybug, I don't avoid it, but I'm certainly not going to go pick it up. And there you have it. Lauren's very logical aversion number one.
2. Piñatas. My freshmen year of college, I went to a Heritage Halls activity labeled a "fiesta." We were promised nachos, churros, a piñata, and a good time, but they only came through on the piñata. When my roommate and I got there, the food was gone, and the guy I liked was Latin dancing with another girl (I couldn't even Latin dance--don't worry, that has since changed). We decided to stay for the piñata, hoping that a little candy would at least make the 50 feet we walked from our apartment worth the trip. The piñata was kind of lame--it was small and it kept falling off the string, but we still hoped to pick up a few sweets before we left. On the fifth or sixth person, the piñata fell off the string again, but this time was different. Everyone in the circle started shouting and chanting "stab it," "get it," and I had this flashback to the scene in
Lord of the Flies when they hunt and kill the pig. Needless to say it was disturbing and I left immediately. I concluded that piñatas are creepy and cater to the savage parts of human nature. Never again.
So there you have it, my two weird aversions. I also have a couple things that I really like for no logical reason, but that is a story for another day. What irks you?
