Spiders, shoe-shopping and more people who stare.

I hate spiders. Have a fear of them that borders on terror. I mean, I don't like MOST bugs, but somehow-spiders make my skin crawl. Don't most women despise them? I mean, I have very few friends that don't share my feelings about the king of all creepies.

I will admit, however, to never before pulverizing one in public as I did at the DSW shoe warehouse.

My company recently decided it is time to outfit my division with new uniforms. They paid a high-end designer an outrageous fortune to design a couture line of fashion for their beloved employees. (tongue firmly in cheek) Anyway, the new stuff is nice-far better than what we were wearing before. So...new uniforms...new shoes...means a trip to the DSW.

I like that place. Rows and rows and rows of shoes. Even I can find something. I'm not a shoe nut, really. I mean, I like them, but I'm not the type that will buy shoes and THEN the outfit. I'm all about the way they feel as I'm on my feet all day long. As long as they don't tie, buckle or look like something the nuns wore when I was a kid, I'm happy.

After trying on several pairs, I finally find ones that look and feel good. The price tag is a bit steep, but hey, two for two is a good thing.

Then the massive, eight-legged, hairy beast crawls out of the box and across my toe.

I go ballistic. Screaming, shrieking, you get the drift. But instead of just stomping on it as MOST other people would do-or running for my life.....

I grab a shoe from the display and try and kill it. Well, of course, I miss the first time and it runs up the little stool that they have sitting in the middle of the aisle. But I persevere-and pound it into oblivion on top of the wooden seat. I don't realize it at the time, but I'm yelling-DIE, DIE, DIE!!!!!

I also don't realize that I've attracted an audience. Three women-one with a wide-eyed child, one that has to be ninety, and one trying not to laugh.

The insanity finally abates when the elderly woman points out... "Honey, I think you've killed it. For God's Sake! Get a hold of yourself!"

Okay, so there is yet another public venue I can never visit again. Thank God for online shopping...