A fly found his way into my room! It’s not a strange incidence: flies do sometimes find their way into normal buildings with doors opening and closing frequently

I don’t mind flies too much! Normally, they don’t bite, and they just mind their own business. As soon as they discover there’s no food uncovered, usually they leave in peace and don’t bother too much. Living in Egypt meant that I learnt a lot about flies… and had a lot to do with getting rid of them to make sure they don’t step on food.

But this one was exceptional!!!

Not only did he fail to find any food or anything else to do, he also decided he wanted to roam around my room aimlessly for few hours. I watched him making rounds over the table, the bed, the cabinet, in and out of the washroom, even around my shoes. I wondered how long it will be before he gets hungry and goes looking for food.

Since I’m in favor of minding my own business and letting other mind their own, I went back to my routine activities - which I now fail to recall exactly which one I was engaged in that moment - and was lying down on the bed.

The challenge started when Mr. Fly decided it didn’t have enough space to set his tiny feet except where my skin was bare at the feet and arms! I kept pushing him away, but he kept teasing more and more until I used a sheet to cover myself despite the warmth.

Mr. Fly was obviously well trained on these matters, for he kept brushing around my face and neck, making sure I’m consciously aware of his presence! I became very annoyed: my room is sparkling clean, and there’s not a small rump of any sort. Why does this creature insist on making my day difficult? There’s no food or drink or even friends here for him to have fun with. Why was he sticking around???

I took a deep breath and started some massive action: I wrapped a thick newspaper into a heavy bat, and started chasing the wretched insect, swearing under my breath that it will not survive another fly-second while I still breathe. But Mr. Fly proved me wrong, and I was exhausted in 10 minutes while he still roamed the room freely making sure to come by my face every couple of seconds, sticking his tongue out - I swear I could easily imagine that - to remind me that he’s the winner. A mix of laughter and anger flared as I discovered he even left some little fly-bites on my skin!!!!!! I was by now completely frustrated and somehow lethal. Why was Mr. Fly sticking around???

I found myself falling into a state of deep thought realizing he was leaving me to answer my question: why was he sticking around????????

The poor fly certainly doesn’t want to stick around! Deep inside him, he must be freaking out and pretty hungry by now. If he bites, it’s not because he wants to eat - he’s not a mosquito and I’m pretty sure blood can poison him - and it’s not because he wants me to get up to play with him - Billy my dog is much better at expressing that and he certainly knows how to insist - it’s only because he’s afraid! Mr. Fly is scared that he will die in this freaking room, either from hunger or thirst or from my developed-with-practice bat hit. He has no chance and no business in my room.

Mr. Fly was STUCK!

Poor thing! He must have been dreaming of the great food he’ll find, - I guess he didn’t know exactly how to differentiate HOUSE from SLUMS - the shelter in some collection of rubbish, and the friends he’ll make - again he didn’t notice the mesh on all doors and windows. All his expectations were wrong, and on top, he didn’t know how to get out!

I decided I will try an easy trick: I will open the window and the door to create a current which will allow him to find his way out. I sat by the window, breathless, with the newspaper-cum-bat in my hand to guide the poor insect out as soon as he discovers the air current. As soon as the breeze of air came in, Mr. Fly took off and both of us were in peace. I said hi with a small tear in my eyes.

NO, I DON’T MISS HIM AND WAS NEVER GOING TO MISS HIM!

I had a tear in my eye because I realized how many times in life I find myself exactly in the same position: stuck in a place which is not mine: imagining I will find money, friends, shelter, security and fun. Only to discover right in the middle of it all that there’s none of that! And worse, feeling STUCK there …unable to change anything; paralyzed, lost and STUCK.

The only feeling capable of taking over at such point is fear; and scared people tend to become a pain to everyone around. Is it possible that this what I was doing for a long time and what other annoying people around me are doing? Being out of place, the only defense found is to bug and pester everyone, hoping that while doing that, we’ll stumble across the right MONEY, FRIENDS, POSITION or whatever else we’re dreaming about?

While we are all nothing but flies out of place….

A fly can starve or get killed in a room.

A fly would NEVER starve or get killed in the wild.

But we need to trust that the breeze of freedom carrying us away is also showing us a place…. just like flies!

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