Roy and Nina

I have vanquished all the bugs, it is true. And yet not so.

Last night as I was writing the final email of the day, a wee fruit fly fluttered across my computer screen in the most untoward manner. I was most seriously displeased - until I took a closer look. Around its neck, unmistakably, a name tag.

It was Roy.

"Roy," I said, "Perhaps you dodged the Raid can, but you might have taken the hint anyway. Have you nowhere else to go, Roy?"

Roy did the most charming pirouette and pivot before landing on my Blackberry.

"Nina," said Roy, "You have killed my entire family. I have no one left." He spread his wings wide and wiggled his antennae, gesturing to the empty apartment. "I am all alone in the world," he sobbed. He then curled up into a little ball and stuck his thumb in his mouth.

I must say... I was moved.

"Roy," said I. "Are you truly the last? Is there no one left?"

"Nina," said Roy, "I have searched everywhere. My swarm has flown to the sky that leads nowhere. I am the last."

I scrunched up my face and considered.

"You are the last?"

"The last," said Roy.

I started to cry a little bit.

"Would you like to live here with me? You may do so as long as you swear not to breed by artificial or any other means. You must also make friends with my cat."

Roy arose and did an interpretive dance of joy before floating back down the the Blackberry.

"OK," he said.

So, reader, I have made peace with one fly, Roy.



He is handy around the kitchen and can be counted on to fetch spices and salt and pepper upon request. He gets along with Cat-head, and he is a demon of an editor. Just this morning, he crossed a stray comma out of my NaNoWriMo novel.

So Roy and Nina? We cool.

But I really must get back to work.

Have a good Monday.