bumble bee terror!

As Emily and I left to go out on a date tonight, there was an enormous bumble bee laying on the door jamb on its back, freaking out. I helped him flip over and then ran, because he flew aggressively right at me. When we got back, it was still right there. The more slowly we tried to open the door, the more he tried to sneak under and get inside. This little (well, huge) guy was determined to get in! I tried to lay one corner of the welcome mat (which reads, "leave.") on him so we could open the door, but he kept managing to get under the door. So plan B began. We threw open the door and as soon as he flew in, we threw the entire welcome mat on him. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed one of Wifey's jam jars. I slowly peeled back the mat and put the jar down over him. Emily then slipped the little plate-like part of the lid under it, and we turned it over so we could screw on the outer part. That's how it got to the point you see in the video.

I then took it to the street. Now, all of our Mexican neighbors like to sit on the grass in front of our building with their entire extended family (not eating or talking, mind you, just sitting and staring at white people). Immediately, approximately 87 Mexican children came running up to me asking me in broken English what I had in my hand. I told them it was a bee. One of them asked if he was mad. I answered in the affirmative. "Why?" the child asked, a concerned, almost accusing look on her face. I told her that most animals don't like being in jars (but neglected to mention that Emily had shaken the jar 4 0r 5 times). Then the little girl asked "Where did you getted him?" (Yes. Direct quote.) I explained and then they all pleaded with me to let me come with them to set it free. I warned that they should all run, and that following me might not be a good idea. They followed anyway as I crossed the street. I screwed off the lid and swung the jar so that the bee flew out, and immediately turned and sprinted... past the children. Emily told me that from her vantage point (behind our living room window on the 2nd and a half floor), it was hilarious to see

1. the grown man (me) running for his life from a bumble bee, and
2. the look of utter terror on the faces of the children as the grown man ran past them, leaving them at the mercy of the bloodthirsty, murderous bumble bee.

Yeah. The excitement never stops at the Hawken home.