A while back Amy and I began a ritual of taking a three-mile evening stroll near her house. On one of these strolls near the end of May we were heading across the campus of North Georgia Tech right at dusk. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw it… A faint green winking light. My heart raced. The first lightnin’ bug sighting of the year. I took off across the grass trying to catch it while Amy stared at me like I was a complete nut. She didn’t realize that hunting season had just begun.
I started thinking about my lifelong obsession with lightnin’ bugs. I guess every kid has it, but most grow out of it before their teenage years. Not me. I’m well on my way to being an old fart, and I still look forward to seeing them every year. When I was a kid, my friends and I chased them all over mama’s yard. Sometimes for hours on end. We’d do it all summer, but there was always something special about seeing the first one of the year. Everyone who knows me understands that I practically live for Autumn. Nevertheless, it was always bittersweet as Summer turned into Fall and the winking of the Lightnin’ bugs became less frequent before ending as the cooler nights gave way to Autumn’s chill.
Most guys I know start getting crazy with buck fever when deer season begins. Not me. It’s lightnin’ bug season. Gotta go now. There’s still time for another hunt before bedtime…