Two Seconds

Two seconds is how long the japanese beetles lasted once Dan found them swarming the fern on the front porch. Within seconds they had chewed holes through it, sawed down a neighboring cosmos, and were apparently holding a raunchy frat party all over the fronds. I imagined what they might do to the young tomato plants, the basil, the peppers, and I saw RED.  Ruthless I was, hauling out a bucket of soapy water, plunk! plunk! plunk! I am aware that They might revoke my "Lover of All Things With Six Legs" card, but I have been trying to revive my fern, not kill it.  

Us or them, man, us or them.